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Oberlin
Student
Class:
2001
Major:
Studio Art
Home Town:
Berkeley, CA |
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Her Work |
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Artist's
Statement |
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The
act of doing creative work feels so natural, indispensable, true,
and is clearly something that I cannot deny or hold back. With regard
to the work that I devote much time, energy, and thought to, I ask
myself various questions. Where does it really come from? Who does
it speak to? Why does it exist? How exactly does it come into existence?
And how is it significant to the meaning of my life? These questions
are philosophical problems that do not necessarily work themselves
out in one easy answer or simple point for me. But there is a lot
of exploring that can be done in relation to them. This exploration
is a process that I am continuously striving to pursue further and
deeper.
I have a growing interest in the places where the "real"/
material world meets the mystical/spiritual world. Stemming from this,
the work that I do, and other interests of mine, I have developed
an especially strong respect and appreciation for the work of Betye
Saar. Looking at her work, in addition to learning and reading about
her ideas and insights, has influenced and inspired me greatly, and
also has allowed me to more fully understand my own self and work.
Much of my work is tied to memory, and the connections that can be
made between different fragments of memories. I believe that endless
amounts of stories exist within every one of us, which can never fully
be forgotten. These stories will always be contained and carried in
some form, whether or not it is readily accessible. The very act of
remembering can take us to many places. In my work I choose to focus
not only on distinctive memories and stories from my life, but also
on memories that feel more eternal and abstract to me. Stories emerge,
both as explicit narrative pieces, and in recurring organic forms.
Instinctively I incorporate these forms throughout the work that I
do, and have come to accept them as more than just shapes. I feel
that they are unmistakable parts of my personal make-up, which can
not be ignored. And it seems that no matter what I do, whether or
not I am consciously making these particular forms, by some means
they continue to appear in my work. In this way, I see and feel them
as being vital fragments of spiritual, cultural, and ancestral memory.
I am fascinated by the idea of time, in all senses: time passing,
time spent working, layers of time, time changing, transforming, pausing,
continuing, and the ways in which the past, present, and future can
interact. Specifically, I am interested in grounding my work in personal
stories and daily experiences in order to explore the ways that the
past is carried on through the present moment and into the future.
My method of working is tightly woven together with the concepts that
I am exploring.
Since I first started working with wood, a little over two and a half
years ago, I have found it to be a highly engaging activity. Wood
is accessible, alive, and functional. It is a strong, yet flexible,
material, to which I feel connected. For me, wood becomes a solid
place where memories, feelings, and imaginative ideas can be activated
and live. An important element of my work is my process, which involves
a great deal of time, thought, and genuine care. An intense amount
of energy is required to make my work what it is, and this energy
is directly infused into each piece. The very act of working is a
highly focused, present, and often meditative experience for me. And
I use these processes to create work that is emotionally, spiritually,
and visually charged.. |
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Painting/Drawing/Print
Student
Faculty
