artist statement

I draw inspiration from ancient cultures, myths and nature as well as from contemporary life. I am especially interested in the symbols that man uses to connect with nature and with the spiritual world. These are often embedded in an array of art forms ranging from sculpture and masks to movement and ceremony. I create my own versions of these forms to address present-day issues.

I work in four different areas: painting, sculpture , clay and printmaking. In each medium, I use a wide range of materials. My sculpture, somewhat crude and primitive, is made mostly from objects reclaimed from the street, from bins on trash day and from thrift shops. These are often weathered, rusted, decayed and deteriorated suggesting age and a time gone by. My clay pieces are adorned with found objects as well. Materials in my collage paintings include paper and plastic products used in packages delivered to our homes on a daily basis. And with my recent monotype prints, I have been experimenting with color and texture using fabrics, leaves, string, sticks etc. as well as stencils.

These materials become a basis for new compositions. Placed in a different context and given new meaning, they undergo a transformation. This process of change is a metaphor for the human condition, something we can relate to as we pass through our own life stages and as we re-examine our values and set new priorities in the fast-paced, chaotic and uncertain world in which we live.