Artist Statement
Dedicated to the use of textiles and the folk art traditions of quilting, piecing and stitching, I like to incorporate incongruous materials in my work. I have two distinct bodies of work: "Work on Canvas" and "Small Work." In the former, the focus is on big movement, using all of my body with expressive mark making and calligraphic gestures. I scrub in layers of pigment, only to scrape them away. I cut out pieces of the canvas and sew them back in unexpected ways. It becomes an archeological dig of an artist's process. This work reveals a rough beauty with gessoed canvas lying next to delicate gauze or silk. The quilt medium lets me communicate what is historically known as a "comforting blanket." However, once it's on the wall, it separates us from expected comfort to a renewed appreciation of intimacy.
The "Small Work" includes interpretations of post-cards or snapshots from a travel-log or dream. The sizes range from 10 by 10 inches to 3 foot square. The small format work allows the viewer to get up close and examine the intricate hand stitching, beading, and embroidery techniques that are signatures in all my work. Small Work's are mounted on a two inch wood frame that give a sculptural and finished look to this series.