My current body of work is made up of sculptures and installations that are in constant conversation with each other. Their dialogue is comprised of vibrant hues and varying levels of relief. Each work has its own distinct narrative, its own identity, but together they form a cohesive whole. I build up my sculptures and installations with wood, chicken wire, and plaster. When these materials are compiled, they create a form, that form acts as a skeleton. This skeleton is then wrapped in a skin of yarn. This yarn is meticulously, and tightly wound around the whole skeleton until it is covered. That is when my artworks come to life.
The yarn that I use to wrap my sculptures acts as a tactile material. The yarn is taken out of its well-known category of being a “crafty” material, and takes the place of paint. Yarn is usually seen as a feminine domestic material, based on connotations with textile crafts. I appropriate yarn from this context by allowing it to take precedence in the work.
The color that I wrap my sculptures with is not arbitrary. Color is a crucial part to the interactive quality of my work. Colors evoke feelings and emotions in people when they see them. I want to give my audience a stimulating experience through the colors I employ, which are almost fluorescent. In line with inspiring a positive reaction, I am also using these colors to free the female form from negative connotations.
For some of my pieces I use female forms that are often stigmatized and seen as sexual objects, sometimes even shameful. But I take these body parts out of that realm of negativity, and thrust them into a powerful light. Power that is driven by bright, vibrant, and bold bands of color. And a luminosity provided by the way light shines on them.
