I have employed the media of hand~worked embellished textile assemblage as a vehicle of expression since 2003. Trained as an intaglio printmaker, I am by nature attracted to extremely laborious art making processes. While I sometimes feel the techniques I employ are relatively simplistic, people seem intrigued. Please excuse the 'wordiness' of this section. The image below is me working in my sometimes studio, also referred to as the dining table (this was the dining room table at my former abode ~ even though I now have the run of an 100 yr old farmhouse with approx 2000+ sq feet with my own very lg studio, I am still often to be found beading on the couch or at the dining room table. A creature of habit I am).
Q&A #1: Do you really sew everything down by hand and why, in the name of god, would you subject yourself to that when there are things wonderful things like sewing machines?!
I do sew everything by hand, including the bugle beads (one at a time) and other embellishments. There are a number of reasons for this, other than my flirtation with OCD. One, the pieces are in a way a record of meditative labor. The stitches are meant to appear hand-worked, and with that, slightly irregular. I have greater artistic control (personally speaking) and more intimacy with the work if it is just me, thread and needle. Having the machine as a mediating element is not attractive to me. In regards to the beading ~ the beading besides providing a decadent and attractive surface, actually quilts and compresses the fabric (it takes roughly an hour to bead a square inch area). The sewing, quilting, and embellishing in general provides dimensionally in the work. I despise flat surfaces - if I wanted to make flat imagery - I would be a painter.
Q&A #2: What does "hand~worked embellished textile assemblage" mean, anyways?
I hate giving the answer to the constant and necessary question, 'what kind of artwork do you make'? In the beginning, it would be a 10 minute song and dance about using fabric, thread and found objects to make collages of sorts. Besides the glazed~over look in their eyes, the verbal reply might be, you make "quilts" or "wall hangings".
Both are wrong .
Not that there's anything work with creating such objects ~ no stoning from the traditional quilters, please!
I can't call myself a quiltmaker or even an art quilter, primarily beside I work on a such a small scale and my works don't refer to quiltmaking per se. And to say I make "wall hangings": if by that term we catagorize all works that hang on a wall, such as prints, drawings, and paintings.... well, that's fine. However, most people use that term to describe macrame/weaving projects and the like, ~ primarily hanging craft specifically textile projects from the 1970s.
So currently, I reply to the question of 'what does your work look like' by handing the curious party a 4x6" postcard of my work with contact info on the back (you can order 500 from Modern Postcard for less than $150 with shipping and the quality and turn-around time is amazing!) and state, 'I make hand-worked embellished textile assemblages'.
HAND~WORKED = because it is important for the audience to understand it is all created by hand.
EMBELLISHED = because the integration of both dense beading and incorporation of found objects is an important stylistic element in my work.
TEXTILE = a no brainer , primary material is fabric, especially silk duponi.
ASSEMBLAGE = because I am using fabric, thread, beads, paint, and found objects to make dimensional collages, which are by another name, Assemblages.
A diptych that as of early January 2006 was in process (it's currently finished and featured on the site here). The photo below shows the 'sugar' section, with red skull dollie fabric 'frame' which is cut out in one piece, appliqued down, and then shi-shas will be applied like in the 'spice' piece. After that, I'll do the raw applique text, sew on the pearl button for the first communion dress, and then begin the bugle beading, pink silver lined to match the background fabric.
Q&A #3: Where do your ideas come from; what inspires you; and whereth do your ideas come?
To read the official/academic/slightly boring version called an Artist Statement, click here
I get my ideas for my work from my own life, observing others (voyeurism, by another name), high and low culture, current events, non-western art, religions, philosophy and fiction. I live in the middle of the woods and have plenty of time to read and meditate. Or, sometimes I'll be driving along and get fairly pissed off by our current tirade of gross nationalism and I'll get a vision in my head (better than an aneurysm!). I am also inspired by beautiful, overworked or belabored objects, including drag queens. I adore artifice.
In short as a dear, long~time friend told me recently: "your work is just like you, bright and shiny on the outside and quite possibly the darkest and most brooding I've ever known on the inside".
My goal is to exhibit and publish my work to as wide of an appreciative audience as possible. I also very much enjoy teaching others hand sewing and embellishing as a means of art making.
Selling is not a priority because I have the luxury (or sometimes curse) of a full time arts administration and teaching gig. However (to my constant amazement and delight) people do occasionally purchase my work. All available works on the site should have values described. Also, please frequent the TRINKETS section of this web site, as it will have a rotating buffet of smaller and therefore CHEAPER art junk available.
Pricing: If I were to actually price my work based on the labor costs, the price would make a terrific punch line. Currently, a piece measuring 20" x 12" is valued at $1200.00. As a gallery director, this price is conservative for a similarly sized oil painting. Pieces like Supply and Demand which hover about 30 x 40" are often valued at $2500 - $3000, again given my experience are reasonably priced.
However, whether they sell or not is really not a concern of mine. I enjoy trading with other artists to get art for my collection. Better yet to win awards ~ then you get the moolah AND get to keep the piece for further exhibition and enjoyment!
