Performance, Fabric, Aluminum

Concept:

Break away from a construct to search for answers but when no results are provided return to the known construct. Repeat in a cycle. Investigate weakness, fear, lack of knowledge and persist in the search for answers.

2012, Plaster, Lace, Found Objects

Concept:

Rigid characterization of groups of people. What it means to belong to a larger ideology, philosophy, or religion.

2013, Film/Installation collaboration with Juan Rojo, Mixed Media

Concept:

In this collaborative work, I responded to an eight minute long film created by Juan Rojo. There is no dialogue. There are two songs, and three vignettes. The first vignette introduces the three female characters. They seem to be trapped and anxious in this dungeon-like area. The first song is Brahms' lullaby but its distorted and creepy and is set over the first vignette reinforcing the sense of tension and anxiety. The second vignette is where one of the three characters "drowns in thin air" the other two try to revive her but are unable to. The last vignette is where the surviving two morn her death. They anoint her with white cream of some kind and adorn her with white, yellow, and red daisies. The second song is a Spanish love song set over the final mourning vignette.

The film and its soundtrack initially draw viewers to the installation. The masks are very plain and discarded in a piled in the middle and represent the many identities we all try on as well as the ultimate death mask. The four hanging wooden boxes contain four more decorative, elaborate masks. These few elevated masks represent those people who fully realize their role/purpose in life, or ascend in the here-after. They are encased in these boxes and hard to see without effort on the part of the viewer. They are suspended from the ceiling and draw your eye up to the film which is hung inside the cabinet. The blossoms on the floor are 500 real Daisies that will die by the end of the show (a month later) and tie back to the film's final vignette.

13"x 24" or 24"x24" Montgomery County Map Book

The first set of maps in this project were from Montgomery Co. MD map book. I identify roads I have driven and block out areas that I never ventured into. Once, while describing my process to a friend they mentioned how it reminded them of early cartographers who would draw monsters on maps of unexplored territories. This project is progressing nicely and will soon include maps of roads I've driven in states across the country.

My personal cartography is evidence of the roads I know I have traveled. I am not afraid of unexplored territories and believe they have their value too. I don't think that I should be content in my own illuminated aura but should project my light out into the darkness to share and grow with others as we continue on our way.

Tree of Life and Labyrinth 13' x 8' x 5'

Mixed Media on Wood

Inspired by the tough work that social workers engage in. They often encounter individuals and families who have an issue they need help with. I hope to continue working with these elements to create pieces that are encouraging and uplifting. The thread seems to tie the wood together and provide glimmers of light and hope just like social workers try to do.

Unlike Theseus of Greek mythology, we are not so lucky to receive a skein of thread from Ariadne to help us find our way out of the maze of life. Navigating our way through life relies on the sharing of experience and knowledge from person to person.

The performance incorporated the use of the three mazes installed on the sidewalk using black duct tape, three 9' tall hanging black fabric "hoods" above the mazes, and two unique female performers marked their path through the maze with chalk. The performers movements were restricted by the fabric that surrounds them as well as the maze outlined before them.

One maze at the far right was completely filled in with chalk. The oppressive black fabric hood flowed in the wind, no longer trapping a female. This represented the collective success of past females to navigate life. The chalk served as the passing on of knowledge and experience. Used and new pieces of chalk were strewn in the vicinity of the second and third mazes/hoods. The two performers reached past predetermined boundaries for knowledge and experience of life to help them navigate the maze. It was up to the performer to choose the color and the technique of completing the maze; calmly, aggressively, incompletely, and even in a combination or a cycle of all of the above. The performance finished when the two performers found their way out of the maze.