Ideas, things I’m attracted to, and potential forms, tumble over each other in my mind as I work. This process generates the unfolding momentum necessary for my work to begin and be sustained. The woven series continues in this vein of discovery. What became immediately different with this group of work, was the introduction of the meshing of brass with steel; a technique that expanded the potential surfaces for patination while adding visual intrigue. Gradually the work evolved to include the cutting of, then weaving back into the metal, forming a tactile texture, and a variation to the smooth fields of color and pattern. While expanding upon my love of the amorphous forms and colors of the natural world, these pieces also integrate a more human element with the addition of geometric patterning. My overall intention is to create landscapes of beauty and mystery that invite contemplation and reflection.
Within The Whole The Individual
2022, 30x30x2 inches, patinated metals on panel
Threads That Bind Us Can Never Break
2024, 40x15 inches, patinated copper and brass
Dancing With Autumn
2024, 40x15 inches, patinated copper and brass
Breaking From Rigidity
2024, 23x11x8 inches, patinated mixed metals
Aglow With Exuberance
2024, 25x12x8 inches, patinated copper/brass
A Golden Mesh Redo
2022, 21x18x2 inches, patinated brass/ steel on panel
Woven Memories of Times Long Gone
2019, 20x39 inches, steel/brass/copper/aluminum
In The Sea Of Life Entwined
2016, 38x18 inches, patinated brass/steel
Zephaniah
2016, 34.5x24 inches, patinated steel/ brass
These strips of metal were “painted” using layer upon layers of different substances. This process sets in motion an evolving “alchemy” of chemical activity, as I work and rework the metal. The patinas that result can include vibrate colors, such as orange or blue, or can be subtle: ghosts of previous marks are revealed as the patina is sanded back to bare metal. There is no guarantee on the outcome, too many factors are always in play, which adds to the mystery of this exciting, uncontrollable process. My choice of “substances” include kitchen staples like salt, vinegar, and baking soda, to cleaning products like bleach, or other agents such as sawdust, muriatic acid, and commercially produced metal patinas.