My work sheds light on dark topics – specifically what women endure. It’s in my DNA to heavily research past and present offenses and find creative ways to make something solid that says; “This really happened and is still happening today.”
It’s no secret that throughout history women have greatly suffered. I like to think that I’ve jointed the ranks of feminist artists that stepped beyond their comfort zone and used art to amplify women’s issues. And speaking of history, I find it interesting that I use the same treasured material that emperors and kings demanded for their exquisite dinnerware to tell today’s stories of injustice.
I admit I have a porcelain obsession. The material is ethereal. It actually glows in the light, sometimes with a hint of transparency. Due to the natural beauty of the clay’s whiteness, I hesitate to add color. Touches of shiny clear glaze, luster or oxide wash are used sparingly. Some surfaces are stretched, cracked and purposefully misshaped for an otherworldly aesthetic. Others mimic indulgent cake frosting.
Topics center on my worst nightmares. There’s a certain vulnerability about being female that breeds fear into us at a young age. Making the work keeps the demons at bay. Women brutality silenced in iron face masks, female refugees hunted like prey and forced into sexual slavery, or an arsenal of household objects to repel an abusive husband are among explored themes.
My most recent work centers on the overturn of Roe v. Wade. These sculptures of medieval armor are for women. Laden with iconography, the protective gear is battle ready for reproductive freedom.
Another collection contains sculpture and photography. It centers on why women were sent to mental asylums and the botched diagnoses and treatments they endured. Gold masked women in straight jackets, figures melting into their bed sheets, championship trophies to male medical misogyny, and a cabinet of 86 patient toothbrushes are a few of the 40 sculptures that tell harrowing stories.
Research drives the creative. It feels as though the sculptures make themselves – almost as if the voices demand to be heard. Silence is the soundtrack of repression.
It’s no secret that throughout history women have greatly suffered. I like to think that I’ve jointed the ranks of feminist artists that stepped beyond their comfort zone and used art to amplify women’s issues. And speaking of history, I find it interesting that I use the same treasured material that emperors and kings demanded for their exquisite dinnerware to tell today’s stories of injustice.
I admit I have a porcelain obsession. The material is ethereal. It actually glows in the light, sometimes with a hint of transparency. Due to the natural beauty of the clay’s whiteness, I hesitate to add color. Touches of shiny clear glaze, luster or oxide wash are used sparingly. Some surfaces are stretched, cracked and purposefully misshaped for an otherworldly aesthetic. Others mimic indulgent cake frosting.
Topics center on my worst nightmares. There’s a certain vulnerability about being female that breeds fear into us at a young age. Making the work keeps the demons at bay. Women brutality silenced in iron face masks, female refugees hunted like prey and forced into sexual slavery, or an arsenal of household objects to repel an abusive husband are among explored themes.
My most recent work centers on the overturn of Roe v. Wade. These sculptures of medieval armor are for women. Laden with iconography, the protective gear is battle ready for reproductive freedom.
Another collection contains sculpture and photography. It centers on why women were sent to mental asylums and the botched diagnoses and treatments they endured. Gold masked women in straight jackets, figures melting into their bed sheets, championship trophies to male medical misogyny, and a cabinet of 86 patient toothbrushes are a few of the 40 sculptures that tell harrowing stories.
Research drives the creative. It feels as though the sculptures make themselves – almost as if the voices demand to be heard. Silence is the soundtrack of repression.