My Project
I am traveling to 7 different countries to sit and develop relationships with women who embody different wise and wild women archetypes such as the crone, healer, elder, shaman, witch doctor, or community grandmother. Upon my return to the united states I will include everything I have learned to make 7 sculptures that embody the essence and culture of each of these women.
I am interested in exploring how different cultures’ beliefs overlap to create a web of connections. There are many threads in this web but for now, I have chosen, to follow the wise woman thread by seeking its presence in places that would seem to have very little in common. Combining these universal themes with the stories and bodies of real women creates a tangible way for us to ponder, promote, and celebrate women’s empowerment and our innate strength, mysticism, and wisdom.
Sharing folklore and healing stories with local people constitutes a substantial part of my research. Not only will I immerse myself in other cultures, but I will share the knowledge and experiences gained from my travels. I imagine the type of sharing that happens around a sewing circle and want to create a similarly comfortable environment where different craft practices can also be shared to pick up new skills.
During my travels I will also document and record new information daily through photo, video, journal-keeping, sketches, and material collection. I will also make audio recordings, if allowed by local customs and interviewee consent. The various materials I collect may appear in the final artwork; I frequently include found textiles, and audio elements in my work
I will have solo exhibitions of my work, which will include 7 finished lifesize sculptures as well as my daily notes, information about material, history, cultural ceremonies, beliefs, and retellings of relevant myths and folklore. In addition, I plan to share my research formally in multiple journal articles and informally through a minimum of 5 artist talks and public lectures. Lastly, I can use this project in my teaching, both as a model of how research informs the artist’s process and as an example of how interconnected our world is.
I have already embarked upon the research phase of this project by reaching out to cultural anthropologists and scholars here in the United States as well as in my selected countries. I have been creating a network of professionals who specialize in studying culture, spirituality, shamanism, and ancient belief systems. Working with this network is helping me formulate a plan of action, with all logistics plotted out before I depart so that my trip can be as safe and efficient as possible. Additionally, these experts help me understand each culture’s social customs and etiquette so that I can be sensitive to and considerate of each group of people with whom I interact.
On May 11 I will be starting a 10 week Journey to the first 4 countries for this project. Nepal, South Korea, Mongolia, and Ethiopia. Approx 14 days in each country.
I am interested in exploring how different cultures’ beliefs overlap to create a web of connections. There are many threads in this web but for now, I have chosen, to follow the wise woman thread by seeking its presence in places that would seem to have very little in common. Combining these universal themes with the stories and bodies of real women creates a tangible way for us to ponder, promote, and celebrate women’s empowerment and our innate strength, mysticism, and wisdom.
Sharing folklore and healing stories with local people constitutes a substantial part of my research. Not only will I immerse myself in other cultures, but I will share the knowledge and experiences gained from my travels. I imagine the type of sharing that happens around a sewing circle and want to create a similarly comfortable environment where different craft practices can also be shared to pick up new skills.
During my travels I will also document and record new information daily through photo, video, journal-keeping, sketches, and material collection. I will also make audio recordings, if allowed by local customs and interviewee consent. The various materials I collect may appear in the final artwork; I frequently include found textiles, and audio elements in my work
I will have solo exhibitions of my work, which will include 7 finished lifesize sculptures as well as my daily notes, information about material, history, cultural ceremonies, beliefs, and retellings of relevant myths and folklore. In addition, I plan to share my research formally in multiple journal articles and informally through a minimum of 5 artist talks and public lectures. Lastly, I can use this project in my teaching, both as a model of how research informs the artist’s process and as an example of how interconnected our world is.
I have already embarked upon the research phase of this project by reaching out to cultural anthropologists and scholars here in the United States as well as in my selected countries. I have been creating a network of professionals who specialize in studying culture, spirituality, shamanism, and ancient belief systems. Working with this network is helping me formulate a plan of action, with all logistics plotted out before I depart so that my trip can be as safe and efficient as possible. Additionally, these experts help me understand each culture’s social customs and etiquette so that I can be sensitive to and considerate of each group of people with whom I interact.
On May 11 I will be starting a 10 week Journey to the first 4 countries for this project. Nepal, South Korea, Mongolia, and Ethiopia. Approx 14 days in each country.
My Work
I am an archetype. Or, rather, I have embodied a variety of archetypes (the seductress, the lover, the mother, and the martyr) throughout my life. In my practice, I create figurative sculptures made from life casts, embedded with or covered in wax, wool, wood, or mixed textiles, to ask: why do we cling to archetypes to understand ourselves and each other? By tapping into the power of archetypes, my identity becomes secondary to universally relatable ideas, helping viewers experience empathy and encouraging them to reflect on their own experiences and psycho-spiritual growth. My figures serve as anchor points to my own narrative and, through the familiar visual language of the archetype, give viewers the opportunity to find their own story within our shared mold. Following Jungian archetypes embedded in both the personal and collective unconsciousness we experience and feel similar things, creating a connection or shared narrative experience. By using my own body as an archetype I strive to facilitate an embodied and emotional connection with viewers through narrative shorthands, while also prodding at their validity.
