Metaphor and the perceived energy of objects drive the work in this series. A reaction to the effects of Hurricane Irene (the 2011 flood), on my life as a parent and artist. Becoming a parent during an unexpected course of events while living in a compromised environment sparked a deeper journey into abstraction, changing my aesthetic and working method almost completely.
While observing and sorting through debris, survival and artistic process became one. I started to think about the possibilities that awaited beyond the difficulties of the present moment. Interpreting the meaning of household building materials such as nails and electrical work boxes, drove me to retain them for use in my work. In doing so, I shifted my process from printmaking toward sculpture and mixed media.
Using a combination of traditional art materials such as cast bronze, canvas and paint…along with wood, stone, steel and various found objects. I hammered old nails into salvaged windows, creating my own “power figures”. Since then, I continue to connect creative thoughts with the realities of daily life in my work. Each piece I make acts as a symbolic gesture, embodying a release and display of emotional energy.