Out of my head series 2020: Ceramic, mixed Medium (sold out)

 Stoneware, acrylic, twig, moss, wire, tissue paper 

Change happens and we awaken to a new world, a new life, a new existence.

This woodland embellished figure represents the idea that change is natural. The chrysalis is that time when we must fold in and devour our old selves, destroying who we were in order to emerge in a new form. The process is gruesome to behold, but it is nature’s way. The pain and existential grief we endure is in service of the growth we carry into our next phase of living. 

 Porcelain, acrylic, pom-pom wire

The muses hop out into consciousness delightfully and unexpectedly.

After a long and serious career as a psychologist, I just wanted to sculpt something fun coming out of someone’s head. Working on this piece cracked me up.

  Porcelain, acrylic, plastic dragons, modeling compound, varnish

Enough is enough!

The healthy expression of anger does not seek destruction or violence; it is a voice that seeks to be heard. The action to take is that which rights a wrong. 

This piece was my attempt to express the anger that I have felt on behalf of Standing Rock, Me Too, Black Lives Matter, Monsanto, Big Pharma, and other health, social, and environmental injustices. As I continue to educate myself about our country’s past and living history, I am gaining an understanding and appreciation for the very justified rage of people who have been devalued, marginalized, and harmed by our society’s choices, values, and biases. I wonder if Covid-19 is the earth’s way of protesting how we interface with the balance of nature. 

  Stoneware, acrylic, fabric, glass beads, wire, bells, plastic

The stoic queen is silently erupting an inner jester, prankster, and speaker of the truth.

God save the Queen!

The character of the harlequin dates from the Italian commedia dell’arte (16-18thcentury theater). The harlequin, jester, or trickster was typically an astute servant who used humor and wit to challenge or even mock the aristocracy, often thwarting his master’s plans and stealing his love interest. Thus, the harlequin is considered a precursor of the romantic hero. 

In this piece the rigid queen represses all emotion as she dons her crown and jewels. Emerging from behind the crown, however, is the Jester’s hat, revealing the queen’s secret self. Her folly, romantic longings, and biting wit betray her own subversive tendencies. This queen will play the game, but she knows the truth and she will remain her own woman.

  Porcelain, acrylic, shoe polish, wire, modeling compound, faux pearl

One by one, that which had been her irritations, disappointments, and unfulfilled dreams tumbled through time until her spirit transformed the painful pebbles into pearls. Now she could finally quench her thirst.

Aesop’s fable of The Crow and the Pitcher tells of a clever and thirsty crow who came upon a pitcher with some water at the bottom. Unable to fly down into the pitcher to drink, the crow drops pebbles one by one into the jug and slowly raises the water level up to within reach. 

And so it goes with our thirsts and desires that are just out of arm’s reach. In this piece the blue crow represents our own persevering spirit. Seeking the vitality that is deep within us, this spirit bird uses its golden beak to turn our wants and life challenges into life-fulfilling satisfaction and sustenance.

  Stoneware, wool, anise, thread, mirror and scissors. 

Who determines your destiny?

According to Roman and Greek mythology, the Three Fates were three old sisters that were the incarnation of destiny. The sisters were assigned to a person at birth and they spun, gathered, and measured the threads of that person’s life tapestry, deciding the amount of suffering they would endure, as well as their moment of death, symbolized by cutting the thread.

This unglazed figure is surrounded by images of the Fates resting on raw wool. The wool is unwoven to represent the potential of a life of free will. The anise in the wool, and mirror embedded in the figure’s “third eye” suggests that it is our own self-reflection and inner vision which will ultimately determine our destiny. 

Stoneware, acrylic, wood, copper wire, modeling compound

We are the source of the winds that prevail in our lives.

The Griffin is a creature both of earth and sky, as we are creatures of matter and spirit. The element of wind connects and affects everything on earth. As we inhale and take air into our bodies, we are in a way ingesting the universe. As we exhale, the air we release joins the winds that travel around the world and into the ethers. Just as our breath can calm or excite us, the wind can soothe or destroy. 

This sculpture portrays a patinaed figure that has withstood the winds of change, the seasons of time, and the varying direction of her life’s course. She is both the source of and influenced by the forces inside and outside of her. Her mythological self is able to connect her with the essence of heaven and earth.

  Stoneware, acrylic, raffia, felt, beads, shells, seeds, antler, metal, anything else I could find

Cronelicious is the original menopausal woman who finds her  sexy and wildish self.

There comes a time in a woman’s life when she must challenge her domesticity. When deference gives way to expression, a woman can find her voice. This often means that politeness, a clean house, and years of obligation take a back seat to honesty, a lived in house, and a commitment to feed her creativity. This is how the mature woman reclaims her depth, spunk, and soulful life.

                        What you are seeking may be closer than you think.

This piece is a reminder to myself to appreciate what I already have, rather than succumb to incessant searching or pining for what has not yet shown up in my life.