ARTIST'S STATEMENT
I am beguiled by objects—especially old tools and appliances—whose nuanced forms are shaped by their purpose, and make sense the moment they are handled. In much of my work, I re-create household artifacts, and further embellish them with drawings, patterns and/or text. The pieces are seldom traditionally functional in their original context, and their fabrication in clay is often 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 the opportunity 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 toward meticulous decorative surfaces—also frequently found on old tools—for their own sake, as well as for their potential to include a narrative reference.
I tend to work in series, with everyday themes on ordinary objects, often surprised by how they are able to establish immediate connections with complete strangers, asserting the commonality of shared humanity. My narratives arise from the multiple perspectives of a Caribbean immigrant, an older parent, and an artist among other hybridities, frequently dealing with issues of 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 own grounding process, a “house” I carry with me, turtle-like, from place to place as 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 toward meticulous decorative surfaces—also frequently found on old tools—for their own sake, as well as for their potential to include a narrative reference.
I tend to work in series, with everyday themes on ordinary objects, often surprised by how they are able to establish immediate connections with complete strangers, asserting the commonality of shared humanity. My narratives arise from the multiple perspectives of a Caribbean immigrant, an older parent, and an artist among other hybridities, frequently dealing with issues of 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 own grounding process, a “house” I carry with me, turtle-like, from place to place as a means of connection to other people and cultures, and of self-preservation from the same.
