Artist Statement
I find a sense of calm in the act of making pieces by hand, one cut or stitch at a time. The materials used are often remnants: the small leftover portion from a fabric skein, thread from my grandmother when she could no longer sew, paper scraps needing to be discarded, outdated documents that need to be recycled. Now, they have a new life.
I create abstract lace-like forms utilizing a variety of mediums, both two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Whether the piece is steel, paper, fabric, or felt, each piece is hand cut and layered with pieces of varying mediums that enhance the fragility of the forms, the creation of shadows, and the interaction of colors. As a solution to binding a variety of two-dimensional materials together, I began hand stitching through the various layers. This unintentionally added an element of texture and emphasis of the shapes and patterns common throughout my body of work.
Colors vary from subtle to bold and vibrant. Intrigued by the colors of ocean life, I work to incorporate color combinations that may challenge the viewer, either because they are subtle and almost camouflaged against the background wall or vibrant and almost too contrasting to look at. The details become evident through the color combinations throughout.
While my preferred mediums are steel and cast metals, I have begun to challenge myself with more traditional two-dimensional materials that are less labor intensive. Even though the end products may be viewed as two-dimensional pieces, I still see the materials as physical objects that can be molded and formed by a three-dimensional piece of thread binding the various layers through each single stitch.