Perception is the only difference between the beautiful, the grotesque, and the mundane. Anonymous
I have always been an observer. I enjoy viewing objects from every angle and seeing how they can change just by tilting my head. I love the duality inherent in all things. Juxtaposition is one of my favorite words. I constantly seek out duality and juxtaposition, whether it be in nature or the manmade world.
I must credit my parents for most of this outlook. Growing up interracial is never easy, especially in a small town. I was often embarrassed by the fact that I looked nothing like my father. My parents, however, encouraged me to focus on the similarities in their natures and beliefs rather than the differences in their physical appearances. The juxtaposition of their vastly different appearances with their similar beliefs shaped the way I look at the world. For me, clay is the best tool to achieve my aims. Clay contains its own duality. It is earth, impermanent in form. Yet shape it, treat it properly with fire; and it will last millennia. Fragile yet permanent, the clay object will outlive the civilization that spawned it, echoing their voices long after they have faded from memory. Clay with its plasticity, diversity, and durability allows me to explore ideas and forms that may or may not exist outside my imagination.
I began with dolls because I feel they best express what I am trying to explore. Dolls are a toy, yet they also can be very unsettling. As I explored the possibilities available in creating dolls, they began to evolve ultimately leading me to slim them down to torsos. I moved to the idea of twins possessing dual natures of one being and have expanded that idea to include an exploration of the physical characteristics that can be expressed and explored using only these figures.
