ARTIST STATEMENT

War and violence, in their many forms, are themes I return to in my work—particularly through the lens of a mother. I find it difficult to separate the wars adults begin from the rubble that becomes the landscape of childhood for those unlucky enough to be caught within them.

In Kingdom Crumb, a young girl in a paper crown is partially absorbed into a scene drawn from the Bayeux Tapestry. I use this historic imagery to suggest the persistence of war across time: the costumes and kingdoms change, but the patterns remain painfully familiar. The flattened, almost whimsical quality of the tapestry softens the imagery visually, creating a gentler surface for a violent subject.

For all our talk of building something greater for our children, these are often the crumbs we leave behind for them to gather and reassemble. Perhaps the saddest inheritance is not only the damage itself, but a history they may learn, once again, to repeat.