ARTIST'S STATEMENT
I am beguiled by objects—especially old tools and appliances—whose nuanced forms are shaped by their purpose, and which make sense the moment they are handled. In much of my work, I re-create household artifacts, embellishing them with drawings, patterns and/or text. The pieces are seldom functional in their original context, and their fabrication in clay can be satisfyingly incongruous. Furthermore, as the articles reflect the lived realities of their users, in addition to being canvasses for my ideas, they come with their own histories of fabrication and use, creating opportunities for layered contexts.
I work primarily in clay, using hand-building or slip casting. I embrace the challenges inherent in deconstructing and recreating complex forms, and the intimate physical understanding that comes from building an object from the ground up. I am drawn towards meticulous decorative surfaces—also often found on old tools—for their own sakes, as well as for their potential to develop a narrative reference.
I tend to work in series, with everyday themes on ordinary objects, frequently surprised by how they are able to establish connections with total strangers, asserting the commonality of shared humanity. My narratives include the multiple perspectives of a Caribbean immigrant, an older parent, a teacher and an artist, dealing with chosen and ascribed identity, and of diaspora, place and belonging. They reflect the dissonance that comes from having lived in several places long enough to not quite fit in anywhere, and attempts to address the pervasive anxiety of being human. My work has become part of my grounding process, a “house” I carry with me, turtle-like, from place to place; a means of connection to other people and cultures, and of self-preservation from the same.
I work primarily in clay, using hand-building or slip casting. I embrace the challenges inherent in deconstructing and recreating complex forms, and the intimate physical understanding that comes from building an object from the ground up. I am drawn towards meticulous decorative surfaces—also often found on old tools—for their own sakes, as well as for their potential to develop a narrative reference.
I tend to work in series, with everyday themes on ordinary objects, frequently surprised by how they are able to establish connections with total strangers, asserting the commonality of shared humanity. My narratives include the multiple perspectives of a Caribbean immigrant, an older parent, a teacher and an artist, dealing with chosen and ascribed identity, and of diaspora, place and belonging. They reflect the dissonance that comes from having lived in several places long enough to not quite fit in anywhere, and attempts to address the pervasive anxiety of being human. My work has become part of my grounding process, a “house” I carry with me, turtle-like, from place to place; a means of connection to other people and cultures, and of self-preservation from the same.
