All of my sculptures are made up of fabrics that have had other lives. The fabrics come from people I know, or clothing I find that are reminiscent of periods of time that stir me. The working with fiber started out as a desire to preserve the clothing of my children. I can look at an article of their clothes and remember so many things about the period of time when they wore it. The vehicle I use for this is an antique 2-harness Union floor loom. I don’t weave in a traditional way on this loom, (I don’t really know any weaving techniques), but I sculpt with it. Having a background in ceramics I can appreciate the instant color and texture that I never experienced working with glazing and firing.

My sculptures always start with a found object; there will be something inspiring about its shape or form. This object can be anything, a deep metal bowl, a treelike piece of fence or an old bun warmer. After bringing it home I start my favorite process, the contemplation. Often it is days before I can get to work on my new piece, till then I rotate, adorn, and expand on it in my mind and on paper. As I start the sculpture my ideas become more focused and I now remove and or add appendages such as wires, tomato cages, and lampshade frames, creating my new form. The next stage is the fabric layer. I usually sew on a layer of sculpted cloth that I weave from vintage fabrics (velvet curtains, ball gowns, shirt sleeves) on my floor loom. After the fabric layers are on I add embellishments like old buttons, bolts, trims, pom-poms, jewelry, shoulder pads, and yarns. I then step back and observe my sculpture in various settings, after this, we return to the studio for all the final touches.