Off The Hook Collage

A work of art should arouse one's senses on a multitude of levels. In my own work I primarily hope to excite the viewer through humor, color and rhythm. I have worked in both acrylics and mixed media on canvas.The focus of my art has always been on the commonplace and visual familiarity of my subjects. What is significant is the portrayal of underlying humor, whimsy and curiosity that the subject evokes. I have been both an artist and art educator for over 50 years. I earned graduate degrees in Fine Arts, Art Education and Textile Design. While teaching, I also freelanced as a textile designer. In the 1990's, when technology was on the rise, I received a grant that allowed me, as an art educator, to give students and teachers an introduction to the world of computer graphics. I was awarded for a successful practice in "crossing the digital divide between art and technology" by the United States Department of Education. The part of me that became a digital artist was very inspired by the use of the computer as an art tool. I could manipulate my subject as well as its color and energy. The fine artist in me was then able to incorporate these concepts into a new image on my canvas. Throughout these five decades I have felt most influenced by the Pop Art movement. My current work is now a combination of both Pop and Collage. Since 2008 I have been creating a body of work dubbed "Candy Wrapper Collage". Razor blades are my new paint brushes and candy wrappers are my paints. Utilizing the actual wrappers and packaging, I render my subjects in diverse and colorful forms. My focus now is on creating representational images of celebrities and pop-culture objects. The candy wrappers are manipulated to give color, form, movement and whimsy to my subjects, creating both a carnal delight and an exciting visual effect. My work is inspired by the sensual delight of sweets. The physical wrappers and packaging serve the colors of the artwork, as well as the candy logos comment on the subject they are portraying. The result that I aim for is a nuanced iconography that is visually energizing, provocative and always, humorous.