Statement:

In the last twelve years my artistic practice has centered around figurative sculpture. I work primarily in clay, but also incorporate found materials and objects in my work. My figurative sculptures are based on traditional kitsch collectibles and are a statement regarding contemporary society, mass consumption, media propaganda and global events.

The tradition of collectible ceramics has always intrigued me and working within that context has brought further desirable subject matter into the work. It forced the work to exist in a balance between beauty and kitsch, or refined beauty and the everyday manufactured object. I found that I could use the expectations of the medium and the collectible object as an accessible entry point into the work, allowing for a non-confrontational or disconcerting perspective on the subject matter. My work also speaks to the history, nostalgia and aesthetics of children’s stories. I’ve had a long interest in fables and fairy tales as a means to disseminate ideology and moral teachings to younger generations. Much of my work looks to the future that we are carving out for our children.

Since beginning this body of work in 2005 it has evolved in different ways, both thematically and visually. The impact of having my own children and working with imagery of children and childhood has propelled the work into a more personal realm wherein issues of motherhood, identity, and childrearing have become part of the larger discussion of the work. My aim with this work has always been to find a space of dialogue for issues of political and social relevance; to tap into the humanity behind the headlines, to address concerns we face in day to day life, and to create an active desire for change in our world.

My most recent series of works bring forth some strong emotions about the struggles of the creative artist as parent. The works use imagery such as missing limbs to reference the loss of ability to make work and feelings of helplessness as a parent attempting to protect our children.