about the artist
I use the beads to both build and obscure an image. The beads offer intensity of color and a rich depth, especially when they are contrasted with a background that is simplified or has a different texture than the beads. I have a long running series involving figures in fancy dress. Dressing in costumes can be a way for people to explore different things about themselves. The figure in Rainbow Pony comes from a photo I took at an anime convention. I love the oddity of a convention like this happening in a hotel with regular guests around who are not dressed up. The arm wrapped around the figure in Catrina is out of place with the level of fancy dress at Dios de la Muerte festival in Memphis, TN. The third piece is from the recent Overripe Series. It is a bush bursting with colorful flowers and addresses issues of femininity and age. There is both specificity and vagueness in the work, beauty and sometimes discomfort. I trust the viewer to bring their own experience to the work and leave room for their presence.
