Artist Statement

I love materials. I primarily work in fibers because the long history of fiber making allows for exploration into the constructed use of those materials -- both physically and conceptually. Using various fiber making processes (spinning, printing, knitting, etc.) I explore the ways materials can be handled and presented with the goal of challenging viewers’ expectations of those materials and processes.

The view of fibers as “craft” also encourages me to further push against the grain of material expectations. Recently my work has involved primarily a process of printing on fabric and then collaging those transformed textiles together. I consistently use upholstery fabric in these pieces, so I am forced to acknowledge the thick textured fabric that is not intend for the wall – which is exactly where I present it. In my sculptures I address a juxtaposition between form and material. The introduction of metal into my largely fiber-based practice opened up the opportunity to compare the forms of fibers with something structurally very different.

Going forward I want to use upholstery techniques to create stuffed, wall mounted pieces that would give the illusion of an upholstered wall. I also wish to continue making sculptures that combine metal and fiber processes in a way that draws a connection between the two while continuing to highlight their differences.