As I remember the dysfunctional patterns in my family, I transform the memories into forms that represent my current understanding of them like taking apart a puzzle and putting the pieces back together as a new image. Demonstrating my understanding of dysfunction by transforming materials makes complicated emotions tangible. When I create my work, I identify collections of objects and materials that represent a particular memory or pattern of behavior and then build upon them as a physical representation of an intangible memory or story. The process of recreating these memories as artworks allows me to understand them more clearly.
Clothing and textiles are reoccurring materials within my work. I previously worked in the fashion industry where details of fabrics, patterns and seams were strongly emphasized. This background contributes to the way I see garments and textiles as references to the body as well as representations of individuals and relationships. Garments are important in these introspective works as references to the body as a vessel for emotions and memories.
To gain a better understanding of these memories, I examine the different parts. I often deconstruct garments in order to deconstruct the nostalgia that I might associate with the past and to affect these objects in ways that mirror how the past has affected my emotional self. Taking these “normal” materials and distorting them represents the effects of my childhood environment, but also my changed perspective on the past.
