STATEMENT

My work’s focus is irony. The situations I present result in lighthearted whimsy or a sense of tragedy, unease and even danger. My work ultimately challenges our first impressions of a situation or what is thought of as normal human behavior.

The themes I deal with are man vs. nature as well as the many roles women face today. As a woman myself, with a great appreciation of nature, both topics are personal investigations I face and consider in contemporary society.

Formally there are oppositions in my work to reinforce the irony. A duality is found in combining real and faux materials. I incorporate the use of mixed media developed from all foundations skills as well as everyday materials such as rock, chicken feathers and make-up. The situations I present are usually not viewed as things of beauty in the real world. The dichotomy of finding beauty in destruction or beauty in mundane items elevates the work.

There is also a duality in my artistic endeavors. While private studio time allows me to create, I am a very social person by nature. My background includes everything from lectures to large scale project planning. The rewarding aspect of my art career is my involvement in the community when I’m instructing a group of students or participating in outreach opportunities.

My background with mixed media and public art leads me to create sculpture on a larger scale. Working with arts councils, seeking donations from supporting businesses, and working with government groups and various unions is appealing to me. I see a future for myself as a practicing public artist and in passing on this area of knowledge to others. I look forward to offering instruction, knowledge and public art awareness to the world at large.