Artist Statement

Once we are no longer here, we leave in our wake a trail of artifacts and places that we have shaped, constructed, designed. I am particularly interested in the power of places and artifacts to tell the stories of people who may have passed through. I am not documenting real people; rather I’m intrigued by the suggestions triggered by the artifacts I’ve found and the places I’ve visited...an invitation to the imagination to fill in the missing pieces. Although the series was initially inspired by my travel through ghost town ruins, my current ‘research’ takes place in basements and attics, where I perform ‘archaelogical digs’.

These works also explore memory and the passage of time. Peeling wallpaper, which appears throughout, is a metaphor for digging back through layers of time and memory. The peeling wallpaper in these images reveals an underlying layer of newspaper, typically used for insulation 100 years ago, the headlines of last century still readable. My working process also bears reference to the peeling wallpaper: The collographs and collages underneath the digital prints emulate the time-beaten walls.

Current Work: Recent projects incorporate interactivity into installations using found objects and projected video ("Ghost Town Vestiges: The Vanity" and "Ghost Town Vestiges: The Sewing Box".

Methods:

In order to achieve a built-up surface in my digital work, I mix the illusory textures of the digital inkjet prints with the tactile qualities of printmaking, drawing and collage. Initially, I use Photoshop to rework, collage and transform my photographs, drawings, paintings, and prints. The digital image is printed on top of a heavily embossed collograph print or collage of torn paper. This is sometimes followed by further overprinting with additional digital print processes, (i.e., digital lithographs, or digital serigraphs) . The final layer is done with direct drawing (pastel, charcoal, and graphite). I enjoy the the mixing of new and old processes, both for the physical and conceptual qualities of old and new, future and past.

The series "Ghost Town Artifacts" is constructed in layers within the 3-dimensional space of a deep wooden box with hinged glass lid and padlock. In these works the artifacts are preserved, along with the memories they evoke.