Jason Michael Hackenwerth American, b. 1970

I see my function as similar to a hiker on a remote trail who piles stones along the way to help others remain on the path. As such, when I encounter dazzling works by other artists I feel a connectedness to the experience. A feeling of affirmation that others have taken this path and that it is a worth-while endeavor. When the rocks are piled so carefully and so skillfully that they seem to defy gravity, it is a reminder to let go of the need to reach the destination and recognize that what is most sacred are the examples we leave for others along the journey. 
 
My work is a continual practice of arranging the stones so surprisingly that they become arresting beacons of assurance that we are not lost, we are not alone. We are.