ARTIST STATEMENT
I create paintings and sculptures whose inhabitants form a fantastical, magical world of their own making. These whimsical pieces explode with color and energy as they strive to live peacefully amongst each other and with us. Using a seductive, tactile language to take on complex social issues such as feminism, racism, colonialism, and capitalism, they are laced with humor and visual appeal, and are informed by my life as a political activist and attorney. This tapestry of constructions is both figurative and abstract with strong bodily references. Each piece begins as a formal exploration of color, line, or texture, as I build a central structure and fabricate the components that will later be attached to it. I incorporate textiles, sewn photographs, and materials picked up in Africa, Asia, and South America, bringing a global perspective to my work. The materials determine my direction, and as they come together an underlying concept slowly unfolds. Once the meaning becomes clear to me and I envision the narrative of the piece, the individual parts are assembled, and the composition begins to function as an integrated whole.
As a self taught artist, I make aesthetic decisions intuitively, and my process is a spontaneous collaboration with the diverse materials. I stuff fabric that may become an arm, leg, or tree limb, depending on the direction of the piece. The organic shapes are often ambiguous appendages that are open to interpretation, and while each piece has its respective narrative, I encourage an open ended reading of my work. My pieces frequently portray women in confined environments—a kitchen, prison, courtroom, or their own body—as they try to break out of the enclosed space, reaching for the freedom that awaits them. My female figures create a strong presence, alluding to the empowerment of women in a patriarchal, racist, and capitalist system as they continue to fight for justice.