About
Clay and cloth have formed the substance of my work since 2004, when I methodically rolled out forty, six foot long slabs of clay, individually wrapped them in cloth, and hung them on steel rods in my studio. The clay would have torn without the support of the cloth and the cloth would not have referenced the ideas that interested me without the clay. Individually, each material existed as a pliable surface, yet together they held a form while remaining essentially an ephemeral entity. Combined, the clay and cloth appeared suspended in time, one material holding the other, fixed in place indefinitely.
The cloth redefines the clay within a domestic context and the clay adds a physical weight to the cloth, revealing an emotional quality that speaks of everyday experience. Yet, the unique dependency each material has upon the other appears more poignant as the clay dries. Undisturbed, the suspended sheets of clay and cloth defy time, a testament to the physical labor inherent in daily domestic tasks. But, if moved the clay will break, fall apart and return to dust. This references the inherent redundancy of the domestic scene and defines the artwork around a predetermined past. Subsequently, the viewer is left with a sense of futility that resonates against a memory of human experience and the weight of emotion.