More exploration

In the process of developing a rich and fleshy surface and thinking about the metaphorical implications of surface I began to wonder about pulling back surfaces. What happens when one layer is removed, melted, burnt, pealed away?

Here's what happened in a few small explorative works...

Exploration... Not "playing"

Wax has a preserving quality. I am exploring this quality through suspending things in the wax. As the wax dries and hardens the items I add into it are kept between layers of wax, preserved and trapped. The items I suspend in the wax are decorative... lace, sequins, beads

New work coming soon...

But for now, just the statement.


My work looks through a domestic lens at patterns of social and behavioral expectations and how those labels interfere with the pursuit of individuality. By using visual patterns from traditionally domestic and decorative elements, such as textiles, wallpaper, plate ware, and furniture I draw attention back to the home and to the “women’s roles” within that home in order to challenge these notions. Patterns are used to draw attention to surface, both literally and metaphorically.

Many of the social patterns I am looking at address “women’s roles.” These pattern, be it inherited through culture or family, perceived, self created, often deals with appearance. Individuality is often suppressed so that the desired appearance is achieved. For this reason, I create a rich surface to be the foundation for the visual patterns I use. The surface emerges as both decorative and flesh-like, feeding directly into the idea of appearances.

My work and process inform each other greatly, they each reveal things about the other. The process of repetition is central to my work. This activity is largely domestic and for me parallels the build up of experiences that unveil our social expectations and norms.

More new work

newest paintings

My work looks at the patterns of social and behavioral expectation in relationship to individuality, particularly as it exists within the home. Though appropriated visual patterns from traditionally domestic decorative elements, such as fabric; wallpaper, plate ware, and furniture I draw attention back to the home and “women’s roles” in order to reconfigure these notions. The patterns are replicated at times with deviations from them, be it slight or extreme. The pattern is then layered expressive marks to illustrate the building up of experiences with expectations and norms. It is through the building up of these layers referencing both the experiential and the normative and the merging for these entities that an analogy of personal experience and learning how to express individuality and reconciling with social norms is created. Leaving the viewer to ask the question, do we as individuals adapt ourselves to the expected, or adapt the expectation to ourselves?