The work that I create opens the door for conversation in and outside of myself. It acts as a means of voicing representation and acknowledgment in the things that I have sat, lost and alone in, through different phases of my life. I use my creative process in ways that both physically and emotionally gift myself the grace of working through unresolved and unfulfilled moments. The vulnerability in my work plays on a raw authenticity that I focus on solely internally through the creative process. That same raw authenticity is then displayed through the works to give the viewer a chance to share in that vulnerability, vulnerability best described through physical form.
The body of work, “An Honest Conversation…,” for instance, speaks to my personal experience with understanding sexuality and the ways in which that has informed my relationship with gender and femininity. This comfort and application of vulnerability in my work comes through often very physical, heavy-handed process oriented jewelry and metal techniques that connect to my efforts of emotional processing. Much of this body of work involves what I refer to as “wearable sculptures,” working directly on the body in ways that activate specific regions and bring attention to important conversations of the body. A running theme in my work is the celebration and repetitive symbolism of the female form (oblong oval-like organic forms referencing the vulva, vagina, and uterus). This connects not only to the physical body but to what I consider a divine feminine energy. These can be seen running down the spine in Foundation, as well as in its larger, less direct application on the face of Guarded Surrender. I create works that address themes such as the influence of the male gaze on the romantic relationship between two women, the emotional mark making of unwanted versus invited touch, as well as the importance of sharing in an intimate vulnerability with oneself.
Working on and within the body allows for deeper connection that does not happen in many other spaces. Through this process of allowing the body to inform materials and works as a whole, and vice-versa, I have found that working with materials that speak to a rawness of form, whether that be unfinished and recycled metals, clay, or something as specific as intestinal casing, they constitute their own history and relation to my work and often control and inform the direction of my pieces as I move through them.
Photo by: Ryan Cass (@fivish)