Artist Statement
Polar opposites – the push and pull of opposing forces; day-vs-night; good-vs-evil; natural-vs-man made. This is part of what influences my art. Additional inspiration comes from nature, and the feelings and visual imagery I experience when listening to music. My art finds that delicate balance between these forces, where one does not dominate, but they coexist harmoniously. The choice of colors; soft and subdued, paired with strong and colorful, adds to this push-pull dynamic, which is further enhanced with the printed motifs.
Starting with the dyeing processes; some that create strong graphic patterning with others that create soft organic patterning, using both natural and synthetic dyes. The patterning created from dyeing, the way the colors and the printed motifs interact guide and inform my next steps. Different combinations evoke different feelings and emotions and minute changes in either of these elements can ignite a whole new wave of emotions.
Cotton and silk fabrics are my primary mediums along with synthetic dyes, paints, indigo, and rust. I employ the techniques of shibori dyeing, resist printing and dyeing, screen printing, beading, hand and machine stitching.