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Abstract

My primary interest is in Abstract Art and exploring how the intersection of different planes and line shapes can create illusions within distorted shapes, letters, and words. My work varies in size, from prints to paintings ranging from very small to huge (12 feet x 15 feet). I also do all size sculptures. I use many printmaking techniques in my work, including etching, aquatint, drypoint, woodcut, linocut, and collagraph. In my mixed media pieces I use oil paints, charcoal, pastels, and acrylic paint. In my sculptures I use recycled materials such as wood, flower petals, leaves, metal, textile, plaster, and resin glass. Those materials are also incorporated into my mixed media pieces depending on the piece. Photography is an important part of my process, I use the images to document my pieces and see how they evolve. My photographs are also a base for other pieces. Another vital part of my creative process is music. I introduce and create lines that follow a particular rhythm. I prefer to work either on the floor or on flat surfaces. This enables me to view the piece from every angle so that I can create multiple perspectives in the work, giving the audience more than one way to view my art. Layering is an intrinsic element in my work. My work evolves through each new layer of lines and geometric techniques. Each layer represents a time change in someone’s life; the more intricate the layer the more complex the person. These layers depict the events they went through and the resulting change in their life and personality. For example, a work’s first layer is like a baby that is untouched and pure, but as the layers build it represents this baby becoming an adult and the good or bad events that have shaped their lives. I use these layers to represent aspects of abuse and abuse survivors. Each composition represents a person that survived and how beautiful they are. It is important to show that each piece is a unique piece because each person goes through a unique trauma. I explore abstraction through a variety of media to shed light on abuse survivors. Multiple perspectives, layering and symbols are used to represent the changes in those who experience abuse. The consequences they pay with ADHD, PTSD, dyslexia, fibromyalgia and other disabilities that are normal consequences of physical, sexual and psychological abuse. Symbols such as the destructive act of tearing or scratching my own prints, designs that mimic jail bars, feathers that represented bleeding wounds, and the layering of the different colors. By addressing sexual, physical and psychological abuse and the relative consequences through my art, I strive to make people more aware of the taboo subject so that they can better understand and talk about it. This is significant because you cannot identify and stop abuse or overcome this trauma unless you talk about it.