Presented by Gallery on the Green

I am a longtime admirer of Joseph Cornell and other assemblage artists, and have always felt the concept of a 'box' to encapsulate a thought, dream, emotion, or memory was a wonderful vehicle for expression. This medium has been used in numerous ways by many artists, and it can be an intensely personal statement or a wide-ranging iconic image which has evolved into religious reliquaries or shrines in some cultures. My three dimensional mixed media pieces, or "Story Boxes" as I call them, are the result of my desire to create an answer or response to my own reality and experiences. This format was not consciously chosen by me initially, but rather it seems to have chosen me. The images and objects that I use to create my boxes have become imbued with a life of their own which is a fusion of their inherent symbolic connotations with my own personal memories and experiences. Sometimes I am able to instantly 'see' a total piece simply by familiarizing myself with an object, around which a whole visual narrative easily evolves. Others have taken longer when the subject that is presented to me is more complex and abstract. Spatial relationships and visually captivating textures and designs are as essential as the story being told. These creations, whether mixed media assemblages or story boxes, all tend to be illustrations of a moment in time, either real or imagined, believable or fantastic, a thoughtful look backward or an inquisitive look forward... and hopefully, always thought provoking for the viewer.