New Work/Tsunami Papers

The late collage artist Paul Horiuchi was the spark of inspiration at the beginning of this series. It was early spring 2011 and I began the series with “Season of the Cherry Blossom”. I was exploring what Horiuchi would have done if he was a woman. The piece is harmonious and inspiring and I was ready to do more. Tohoku, the earthquake and tsunami then hit Japan. I responded appropriately by shredding up all my available paper and creating “Tsunami” and “Earthquake”. This series explores the basics of change. I am fascinated by the idea that as we perceive our reality the moment has already passed, and what our consciousness is actually doing is remembering that moment: The time we call now. This art attacks the solidity of matter and exposes it for what it is. An illusion. Much of this work is produced by building a matrix from photos I take of tiny things. Mildew on an ancient Ford Truck abandoned in the woods, shredded graffiti, and bullet holes in steel covered with cobwebs are just some of the subjects for the pattered background of my pieces built on fabric. I burnish copies of the photo into the cloth then woodcut print on top of the design. And to a nod to the great tradition of women in fabric arts, I wove ribbon symbolically into the fabric. This is a way of saying the work has been done, the pieces have been repaired from all the good use. With each stitch there is more order and also more to tear apart when we begin again.