There is a rawness that to this series that I have not seen in my work before. I like it. I am intrigued by it. I am raw. After two months in China my heart opened me in a way I have not been open before. And every heart opening has its own vulnerability and risk. I see that in the work. While in China during May and June of 2018 I was taken hostage by the concept of the life’s paradoxes. I couldn’t talk about it, nor write about it, or make art about it.
Upon returning home, I immersed myself in my studio and emptied my heart, my soul, and my thoughts onto the paper, without a clear idea of what I needed to say. I set to work, soaking crumpling, tearing, wounding, sculpting The process itself, is a paradox – The forms emerged slowly, gradually, guiding me where they needed to go, what needed to be said. At times it was spontaneous and fast, followed by moments of slow and precise.
The paper is thick. With many layers it is soaked over time, crumpled and weighed down, shaped and molded, dried, pierced, torn, sewn, marked. It endures many processes and is strong enough to withstand them. The paper became a metaphor for me. I am strong, I withstand. I am transformed through my experiences, becoming deeper and with more meaning. Through the wounds I am whole.
Generally, I spend as much time needed to draft the text prior to hand printing it onto the paper. However in this series I allowed the words to flow freely, directly onto the surface of the sculpted paper.
Some of the writing is obscured through the process of making the piece:
The Paradox of Being Human is…..
…is that we long to be free but our heart binds us to each other
…is that we never fully understand the complexity of life and it keeps evolving with the passage of time. The deeper you are willing to dig the more simple and complex it becomes. The paradox, you don’t go it alone, although the inner journey feels like a lonely place with an unchartered course or never before navigated terrain.
…The paradox of life is the necessity to release that which no longer serves us, which is the everything we cling to.
…The Paradox of life is pulling back the layers of who we are only to discover a maze of complex layers hidden beneath the surface.
…The Paradox of life is that you show up and live a fully expressed life with out fully understanding who you are and where you are going and expressing it anyway.
…The Paradox of life is of holding on and letting go driven by fear or by love makes the journey an adventure or challenge
Is being wounded and healed of recovery or victim of chance and is purpose of acceptance or stagnation.
…Is that we allow the choices we have and our ability or willingness to be flexible with what comes after the choice is made. The paradox is that the cycle never ends. No matter what you decide choose to be happy while doing it. Choose happiness, choose love. Be whole.
…Is not knowing what will happen next and moving forward in the direction of your path.
…The paradox is choosing kindness and love in the face of betrayal and holding onto hope that it is enough.
…Is that when you least expect it, the unexpected happens.