As you can see, I make abstract, conceptual sculpture as a way to powerfully communicate feelings about very basic human concerns. A few examples from each of my previous series are shown below.
In 1973 I was interested in the connections between human and animal behaviors. I made whimsical pieces such as the bear feet seen in the first image. I wore these feet as I made prints in the mud at night in my suburban neighborhood. I fashioned Homage to Burl by watching my pet rooster in the studio.
In the 80’s I concentrated on works which directed attention to our human need for nurturing. For example, I made dynamic images of fingers to show that very simple forms of expression can reveal needs and desires. Sensing Something Significant and Pinch are two works from this series.
In 1992 I began an expansive series of mixed media sculpture utilizing cast paper, wood, metal and stoneware. These sculptures concerned two issues that were important in my life: feminism and our society’s treatment of persons with disabilities. Many of the works from this series traveled nationally to solo and group exhibitions. Kitchen Crucifixion and Long Bone Metamorphosis are examples from this group.
The works that followed my mixed media series were made entirely of stoneware. These pieces directly and profoundly exposed the beauty and vulnerability of young children. The fact that they were presented as body segments disturbed many people. Students at Northwestern and Indiana Universities filled comment boards with boisterous discussions about abortion. The sculpture titled March 1996 is an example from this series.
In the 2000's my work became more abstract as I created the glazed stoneware pieces that you see in the gallery and statement sections on this website. These works use the chair as metaphor in order to reveal the irony that we both need and reject comfort in our lives. We’d like to rest but can’t if we want to participate in life. The “chairs” are at once inviting and foreboding. You must rest but something in each sculpture resists.
