Artist Statement
I've spent most of my adult life in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. During that time, I worked for the Library of Congress as an information specialist, but art is my true calling. My inspiration comes from several sources. My grandmother was a quilter in rural North Carolina, who made quilts to ward off the cold of winter nights in a house warmed by a single pot-bellied stove. Although it was a practical matter for her, her quilts carried our family's history and kept her creative spirit alive in me.
In 1995 I began making collages and art quilts. My work is a mélange of pieced fabrics, found objects, buttons, beads, handmade papers, jewelry, lace, and appliqué. It incorporates materials that have been donated by relatives, friends, and by the community of women and men with whom I have worked. The inclusion of these items in my work has imbued it with a depth that would not otherwise be present.
My work tells a personal story whose themes have universal meaning. These themes include physical and spiritual healing, memorializing loved ones, rites of passage as they relate to women, and the spiritual aspects of love and sensuality. I am also inspired by the poetry, proverbs, and truisms of varied cultures, African-American folkways, and the art of India and Africa.