artist statement
In my latest series of sculptures, I have recreated certain buildings that have a relationship with history. The structures I chose to represent were the Coal Mine, The Out House, and the Water Well.

The Coal Mine is a symbol of industry in general. Coal powered the steam engine during the period of American expansionism. Coal is a symbol of power, labor, and exploitation due to the labor practices that have afflicted the dangerous profession of mining.

The Out House similarly represents danger and hard labor. Gong farmers were laborers called in to empty the outhouse pits, which was an especially dangerous and nasty job. Broadly speaking an outhouse is a place which is necessary, but which can spread illness.

The Water Well, on the other hand, represents healing. The life-giving well was opposite the outhouse, and the two were placed as far apart as possible to avoid poisoning the groundwater. The well is also related to work, especially domestic tasks performed by women.

Outhouse symbolism in the 18th and 19th centuries often use a Star or Sun on the door for men and a moon on the door for women. All the human activities explored in these sculptures stretch back thousands of years in human history. Even though the structure of the mine shaft, the latrine, or the well could be different over time, what remains true in all the structures is their opening to a pit underground. As such, these buildings have the earth as part of their broader form, and they symbolize the unity between the built and the natural environment.

My decision to depict a semi mythologized past allows the viewer to approach these scenes without pre-conceived notions, they operate by using a familiar format, the diorama, A format often use by museums that try to preserve history. I hope that this work will make viewers think about the past and the different things that people go through to make ends meet and overcome the trials of their lives. I want to honor the women and men whose labor paved the way for us to live in the present.

bio
I am a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. My work is inspired by history, spirituality, and social responsibility. I explored themes of family, belonging, womanhood, and generational changes in a variety of different media including painting, drawing, and sculpture.

My latest sculptures feature architectural structures and human figures in relationship to one another. I became interested in building structures after taking a 3D design class, in that class I experimented with making forms of wire. I have brought this 3D form of wire even closer to the realm of drawing by flattening and affixing the wire drawing to 2d picture planes and combing them with paints elements. The result is a kind of combined painting-drawing- relief sculpture that exists as a hybrid form. I also combine sculptural work with drawing as well, showing the fluidity of mediums in my artistic practice.

I received an associated degree in human services from Florissant Valley Community College and currently I am completing my BFA at the University of Missouri St. Louis. I have four children, six grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. In the future I hope to use my skills as an artist to help my community. Also use my artist skill for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a nonverbal approach for children who are facing everyday challenges. For example, to address their emotional problems, to help develop interpersonal skills, to focus, to help them to become calm, and help them grow in learning through repetition.