Welcome

When carving into this piece, I saw a mouth dropped open in horror and then many faces spiraling upward and outward in an apocalypse. This sculpture is about the evil of oppression and the dignified spirit of those trying to fight it off. The presence seems noble, yet haunting, so I named it “Dark Knight” to emphasize both its dark being and the experience of a dark passage.

Welcome to my world…I have been given this incredible gift. It’s a way of seeing things, and putting my inherited skills to work to make sense of my life experience. I am freely expressing myself in a remarkable new way since I’ve shifted my focus to making art. Thanks so much for reading about my journey. I’d love to hear your reaction to my work.

PRINCE OF TIDES SERIES

As a young child, I loved to draw. One day I showed a picture to my mother, and she took away all my pencils and crayons. Later I learned I had been a victim of abuse by a family member, and the drawing was likely an expression of what had been happening to me. I was too ashamed to express myself artistically in any fashion for a long time after that, so I never pursued art in school.

I have since learned to embrace my gift and trust my intuition. What I once thought to be an imperfection in myself, I now recognize as a family problem and not a reflection of who I am. In coping with childhood trauma, I have been blessed with the gift of disassociation – a retreat from the present into an inner world. It’s kind of like a time travel. From here I am able to create objects that manifest from both my pain and my gift. Now I am actually grateful for my childhood because it’s taken me to this amazing place in my life where I feel I do have a voice. I named the copper faced bone sculptures my “Prince of Tides Series” and I hope to offer some inspiration to others who may have faced similar trauma.