Ancestors

When I first began creating my figures, I noticed a certain recognition in many people when they viewed the work. There was some universal connection, a primal acknowledgement, and often the viewer was not consciously aware of this. And so, the ancestors were born. I worked with color, texture, and emotion and the figures came to life. I never researched other cultures, yet people would often argue with me or point out that this piece was African, or that piece was Arabic, or this one was Southwestern, and on and on. In truth, each person was identifying from their own personal experiences. 

For me, it is about process and creating something wonderful from unrelated pieces. The Ancestors fall into two categories: the stick dolls and the soft figures. The stick ancestors are composed of wood, clay, fabric, leather, beads, feathers, excelsior, and often found objects. The soft ancestors are entirely fabric, with clay, leather, beads and other accessories. Each style can stand or hang on a wall.