I feel compelled to explore culture and psychology in my artwork, for I feel that art is a direct by-product of the two. I want to investigate what it means to be human and how creativity, in all its forms, is a part of our human nature and is essential to our survival. This past summer, I found myself wanting to create artwork that evoked primitive or dream-like imagery.
In my personal opinion, the human subconscious is taken for granted within our modern society. We are often so busy dwelling in the superficial world that we fail to hear the strange voices trying to reach us via archetypal imagery and symbols—during both our waking and sleeping hours. Many primitive cultures live and breathe symbols; they see dreams as sacred messages. With my work, I want dig deeper; I want to open myself up to seeing the symbols in everyday life that are seeking to be recognized.
Each of my most recent pieces was inspired by animal visitors whose presence in my life I chose to learn from. What one makes of these creatures upon seeing them fragmented in my art is up to him or her. The bean mosaic, “Snake and Moths,” was a tedious but ultimately meditative endeavor. The original piece was not glued down, for I only intended to experiment with manipulating the beans and making ephemeral art. I chose to use beans for their variation of color, shape and size. My intention with both “Snake and Moths” and “Hummingbird Year” was to show the process in the product and to suggest that life, in all its forms, is made up of fragments that when puzzled together can give meaning to matter.
As far as my process is concerned, it is usually messy and spontaneous. I like to work in layers and I like to make the best of mistakes because I feel the subconscious makes itself manifest through the creative process. In addition to mixed media, I hope to begin working with more natural materials and to try my hand at primitive crafts such as pottery and wood/stone carving, so I can get a better understanding of our creative origins. Currently, I see my art becoming more mosaic—both ascetically and conceptually.
In my personal opinion, the human subconscious is taken for granted within our modern society. We are often so busy dwelling in the superficial world that we fail to hear the strange voices trying to reach us via archetypal imagery and symbols—during both our waking and sleeping hours. Many primitive cultures live and breathe symbols; they see dreams as sacred messages. With my work, I want dig deeper; I want to open myself up to seeing the symbols in everyday life that are seeking to be recognized.
Each of my most recent pieces was inspired by animal visitors whose presence in my life I chose to learn from. What one makes of these creatures upon seeing them fragmented in my art is up to him or her. The bean mosaic, “Snake and Moths,” was a tedious but ultimately meditative endeavor. The original piece was not glued down, for I only intended to experiment with manipulating the beans and making ephemeral art. I chose to use beans for their variation of color, shape and size. My intention with both “Snake and Moths” and “Hummingbird Year” was to show the process in the product and to suggest that life, in all its forms, is made up of fragments that when puzzled together can give meaning to matter.
As far as my process is concerned, it is usually messy and spontaneous. I like to work in layers and I like to make the best of mistakes because I feel the subconscious makes itself manifest through the creative process. In addition to mixed media, I hope to begin working with more natural materials and to try my hand at primitive crafts such as pottery and wood/stone carving, so I can get a better understanding of our creative origins. Currently, I see my art becoming more mosaic—both ascetically and conceptually.
