ON NEW WORK
Concrete is an ancient and magical material! Overnight, it transforms from dust and liquid to an impervious, fireproof solid,-no kiln needed. Concrete reflects its own process; I construct molds and cast the cement ooze, or I spackle it directly onto an armature. At that point I relinquish control and trust the material. Prepared for surprise or failure, I face the muse, or the demon, both residing in my studio. I believe in allowing the materials to speak, and I take joy in what they bring to my story--every void, crack, scratch, pit, and piece of grit resonates with a kind of beauty.
After learning and using the traditional Japanese woodblock printing process (Mokuhanga) my prints have become looser and more spontaneous. I love carving the woodblocks; each is a small bas relief on its own. I print by hand with a baren onto the thinnest tissue washi, often layering and often printing on both sides. When adhered to the concrete the translucency of the washi allows the character of both to remain visible. The prints provide a hit of color and texture without obscuring the concrete. The hue may be intense or so subtle it is a gift to only the astute.
In the studio, I find the layering of 2-D imagery with 3-D forms, the merger of the cement grey tones with an unlimited palette, and the mix of established sculptural processes with loose, unconstrained mokuhanga a satisfying dichotomy of issues on many levels.
Concrete is an ancient and magical material! Overnight, it transforms from dust and liquid to an impervious, fireproof solid,-no kiln needed. Concrete reflects its own process; I construct molds and cast the cement ooze, or I spackle it directly onto an armature. At that point I relinquish control and trust the material. Prepared for surprise or failure, I face the muse, or the demon, both residing in my studio. I believe in allowing the materials to speak, and I take joy in what they bring to my story--every void, crack, scratch, pit, and piece of grit resonates with a kind of beauty.
After learning and using the traditional Japanese woodblock printing process (Mokuhanga) my prints have become looser and more spontaneous. I love carving the woodblocks; each is a small bas relief on its own. I print by hand with a baren onto the thinnest tissue washi, often layering and often printing on both sides. When adhered to the concrete the translucency of the washi allows the character of both to remain visible. The prints provide a hit of color and texture without obscuring the concrete. The hue may be intense or so subtle it is a gift to only the astute.
In the studio, I find the layering of 2-D imagery with 3-D forms, the merger of the cement grey tones with an unlimited palette, and the mix of established sculptural processes with loose, unconstrained mokuhanga a satisfying dichotomy of issues on many levels.