O HORIZON

ARTIST STATEMENT

The word horizon commonly refers to that ever-changing line where the earth meets the sky, but the word horizon can also be used to describe the very dirt beneath our feet. Soil horizons refer to individual distinct layers of soil that vary from one location to the next. O Horizon is those soil layers containing a high percentage of organic matter typically found in woodland areas. Three distinct layers make up O Horizon: one of leaves, twigs, and other solid materials, a partially decomposed layer, and a layer of dark well-decomposed humus.

I am fascinated by layers and the myriad of ways they present in our lives. From the physical manifestations of rock, sand, and soil that constructs the very ground we walk upon; to the wool, cotton, and polyester we use to cover our bodies; to the more ephemeral layers of our memories, emotions, and subconscious. We live in a world of sharp contrast, the dichotomy of life and death, repulsion and attraction, decay and fecundity. Everyday beautiful creation lies beside devastating destruction and we must learn to hold the two simultaneously in order to exist in this world.

My choices of materials are at the foundation of my work. I chose to work primarily with recycled textiles and found objects. Interaction with material objects is a part of our daily life. Those items range from deeply symbolic to completely disposable. We are all interconnected through this commonplace matter. Articles of clothing and pieces of domestic life carry the residue of memories and experience both of the individuals and the collective society. When a throwaway object is elevated from discarded to respected as a medium for art, it becomes an artifact imbued with history and power.

The material debris of a forest must drop to the ground, compact into layers and decompose to bring forth and feed new life. Likewise, I collect the discarded materials of our modern life and through the alchemy, born of my hands, create a complex new world.