At the heart of my activity as an assemblage artist is the appeal of recycling things to inspire new insights, reflecting the alchemy that occurs as spirituality and humor are invoked and combined with different words, choices and perspectives. What I find appealing about using a mixed media palette are the infinite possibilities for expression and combination. Based on observation & reflection, I meticulously compose three dimensional commentaries on human nature, examining stereotypes, gender roles, quotes and clichés. My own values and beliefs distill and clarify during the process. Healing is a theme I return to again and again. Other themes that recur and overlap throughout my work are values, choices, spirituality, relationships, politics, the environment, domesticity, sexuality and humor. My visual language has evolved as marks and objects are used in many ways: functionally, decoratively and symbolically.
I mine estate sales, flea markets, antique stores, garage sales and even dry river beds, always looking for fascinating objects and boxes. I clean and sort found items into my “library of potential” where there are drawers and bins filled with collections of objects. I love that the framework of a box offers firm boundaries, and that the boxes often open and close. The assemblages invite multiple interpretations based on viewers’ own experiences and ideas.