The inspiration for these figures began while viewing a ceremony one of my friends from Juneau, AK posted of her family. In it, a stately, elderly woman walked slowly onto a dais amidst singing and chanting and then was carefully wrapped in a rich blanket that contained the clan's symbols. As an outsider, it reminded me of a coronation but what stood out was it's sense of belonging and honor. This began a search to find my own sense of place in the land that I currently live in but am not from. I collected and sifted 13 gallons of clay and mixed it into 3 hand-built forms approximately 34" tall. Then, I fired them in a kiln to cone 07 and sealed them with a water-based solution.
These figures will be installed at the Los Angeles Arboretum as part of "The Nature of Sculpture II", from April 1-August 1, 2020. For more information, visit www.arboretum.org.
When I go to meet my maker, naked and alone,
I will go wrapped in the memories of those I have loved.
