A mask can be a covering to protect or conceal or reveal. It can be
the façade one shows to the world, while the person behind it may be
very different. My mask drawings can also be considered from the inside out,
as though they are being seen from the wearer’s point of view. I am
exploring the junction and interface of internal and external worlds.
I begin with a rubbing from the wood grain of my studio floor, and
develop any images that present themselves. I want each new piece to
represent a discovery, a personal journey to make the unknown known.
It is a solitary game.. To play this game honestly is to accept the
images that emerge. The process allows my subconscious to find it’s
way onto the paper. I recognize the characters that take form and
their similarities to people in my life. I objectify the internal
issues of family relationships, my professional challenges of
teaching Art and making Art, and my quest to accept and reconcile
my role in the world. The graphite stick and paper become the conduit for my need to express and my necessity to extract.