Manipulation of the expected informs my work and gives it an energy, the fascination of a conversation between odd and familiar.
Recognition draws the eye; vintage and antique objects and textures are part of a shared visual vocabulary, calling up memories, real or imagined.
The experience is distorted by manipulation, common objects defamiliarized through unexpected combinations and the introduction of fantasy.
The viewer is enabled to notice she stands in multiple dimensions at once: the known, the unknown, and the past, which lives somewhere between the two.
I favor animals as inhabitants of my compositions, as they encourage us to let our guard down--to open our minds. Birds in particular are useful for their ability to hide, hop and perch. It’s no surprise they are favorites in fable and folklore as communicators of magic.
These creatures inhabit the corners of our perception. I imagine that they dwell in forgotten places and make their homes in once-loved objects, adorning their nests and themselves with frippery and finery as they find it. They love things that shine and sparkle, unworried if the luster is a little faded. Haven’t you felt their presence as you poked through the wares of a dusty antiques shop? Maybe the rustling you heard during that chateau tour wasn’t a stack of papers falling down, but the wings of a curious little bird maneuvering to get a look at you from behind a dented silver teapot.
I welcome your questions or comments.