Artist Statement 2019
My medium of choice is wool, and my work combines the traditional craft of needle felting and figurative sculpture. Needle felting is a process in which I roll up wool and then by stabbing it with a barbed needle I force the fibers to lock together. The denser the wool gets with each poke of the needle, the more detail I get. I think of wool as being similar to clay in that I can add and subtract freely as well as bend and mold with a felting needle. Wools ability to appear hard can trick the viewer into questioning the medium. At first glance, a piece may appear to be made of stone or even paper. Using wool allows me to create a strong, soft structure while providing a warm and neutral surface onto which a viewer can project a narrative or emotional response.
My creating process tends to begin intuitively. Like many artists, observing humanity and reflecting on my own life influences me; the subject and voice tends to come later. My previous work has been a way for me to process my own personal growth, trauma I experienced as a child, and self-image. In my past work I took a more abstract approach to cultivate concepts in transition to a sculptural practice. For example the repetitive craters in two of the works illustrate the impact of trauma that compromises the integrity of a “thick skin”. Craters and folded patterns in the surface of the works illustrate the chaos caused by traumatic experiences that influence self-image. The majority of the figures and forms have proportions based on my own measurements and function as self-portraits.
I am currently exploring how women deal with trauma specifically in their beds. I am making a series of needle felted female forms posing in bed. The heads of the women are represented with houses where trauma has taken place. I am also playing with how the texture of the houses mirrors the body language or position of the figure to express emotion. I feel my work is easy to connect with. I build on that relatability by putting a spotlight on common underlying insecurities. I strive to put a voice to topics that are isolating and many are too embarrassed to talk about, such as body image, abuse and psychological discomfort. If I can make one viewer feel understood and heard without conversation, then maybe it could help them on their journey to closure and acceptance.
My creating process tends to begin intuitively. Like many artists, observing humanity and reflecting on my own life influences me; the subject and voice tends to come later. My previous work has been a way for me to process my own personal growth, trauma I experienced as a child, and self-image. In my past work I took a more abstract approach to cultivate concepts in transition to a sculptural practice. For example the repetitive craters in two of the works illustrate the impact of trauma that compromises the integrity of a “thick skin”. Craters and folded patterns in the surface of the works illustrate the chaos caused by traumatic experiences that influence self-image. The majority of the figures and forms have proportions based on my own measurements and function as self-portraits.
I am currently exploring how women deal with trauma specifically in their beds. I am making a series of needle felted female forms posing in bed. The heads of the women are represented with houses where trauma has taken place. I am also playing with how the texture of the houses mirrors the body language or position of the figure to express emotion. I feel my work is easy to connect with. I build on that relatability by putting a spotlight on common underlying insecurities. I strive to put a voice to topics that are isolating and many are too embarrassed to talk about, such as body image, abuse and psychological discomfort. If I can make one viewer feel understood and heard without conversation, then maybe it could help them on their journey to closure and acceptance.
