My studio is in an old milk carton factory, the historic Cherry Building, in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I think of it not only as a place to work and think but also as its own kind of mutating installation, housing objects, text, video and audio portions from past works which I arrange in new juxtapositions at will. The space is always in flux but one area is reserved for creating new larger scale work, another for fiddling around with “stuff” and working on smaller things.
Part of my art practice, then, is simply the arranging of things to create new meanings. For 30 years I’ve collected found notes from family, friends, and strangers, which often become small metal drawings or books. I also collect “homemade” craft articles gleaned at flea markets and yard sales. These objects are meant to be based on a set of directions but the makers could not help altering the recipe. Materials from metal tooling foil to alphabet soup letters and burnt matchsticks are employed in these creations. Their originality and authenticity are a constant inspiration for me.