In college, I was lucky enough to take a life drawing class - a class I chose never to miss. I loved it. I was intrigued by the lines of the body, the motion a line could give a body that wasn’t even moving, the dimension that was created simply by adding a line in front of another. I particularly enjoyed sketching women, with their curvy bodies and round, voluptuous shapes. It’s that same excitement that inspires me today.
Having grown up in a sometimes volatile and unstable environment, I have many scars that have taught me a lot about myself as well as the women around me. I learned to be strong and have the ability to take care of myself. Even still, I found myself broken by circumstance and unhappy in marriage. I allowed myself to suffer for too long. With great effort, I freed myself. Ultimately, I found solace in painting figures, capturing their stages of emotion and strength while they find the power to reclaim themselves. I hope my strong figures inspire others to reclaim themselves.
I started painting these figures on canvas, but soon discovered the delight of reclaimed wood. Most of my wood comes from a dilapidated green house and the fence surrounding it. It felt right, ’capturing the worn and sometimes beaten down internal scars of humankind. I love how it feels on my hands. I love how it brings depth to my figures. I love how it adds the meaning behind the work itself.
Through these works I found that I am powerful. I have reclaimed myself.
