"Portal: Beyond the Fire" (2009) 7 1/4" x 5 1/4" x 1/2"
When I first started to make art, I worked in shadow boxes. All my assemblages were behind glass. The world inside the box held a certain sense of tension and that feeling of containment was satisfying for me. However, handling the glass made me uneasy.
I decided to experiment with other kinds of surfaces and depart from standard framing. The Portal pieces are made with bookmaking cardboard painted with grey gesso. After making the assemblages I placed them on light wood frames treated with water-based wood stain and polycrylic finish.
It was a thrill to have the work so immediate.
"Prairie Tales 4" (2009) 7 1/4" x 5 1/4" x 1/2"
Many of the images in this series reflect my recent summers spent in the mountains of Colorado.
