A way of thinking; living.I understand art as a way of thinking; a way of living. More than simply a process-over-product belief, I firmly believe that artists evolve through a bodily, aesthetic understanding of creative thinking and living, and habits of mind that lead to a broader sense of being in the world.
My art encompasses an understanding and appreciation of creative process. I look forward to moments when I loose all sense of everything except the piece in front of me; loosing myself to the qualities and nuances of material and process. I also revel in the dynamic social aspect of creation and the stories that get told and re-told in the midst of making art. This understanding leads directly into how I work with my students and what I believe good teaching to be. It involves an intimate and complex process of finding, loosing, and finding again, our selves and our sense of the other. It involves knowing and trusting our selves and being able to adapt and change within those knowings. It involves an evolving understanding of fear and how that pedagogically plays a role in every piece I create. |
There is an undulating current of process always undergirding the decisions I make, the materials I choose, and the movement into creative process.
My materials tend toward photography, paper and book making, fabric arts, and painting and usually encompass the desire to tell a story. It is a way for me to communicate with myself and others. Art is a way to challenge ideas, take risks, and try on different perspectives of the world and my self. Calling myself an artist began easily enough as a child when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. As I’ve grown, that proclamation has become heavy with assumptions, misgivings, and misunderstandings. Yet I still cling to the idea of being an artist and now consciously work to help others achieve that satisfaction of claiming their marks and meanings as valid and reminiscent of a self yet to be discovered. |
