The Mythology Series
Memento Mori
2013 | Wood, leather, clay, metal, glass
After visiting the exhibit, Morbid Curiosity: The Richard Harris Collection at the Chicago Cultural Center in 2012, I decided to create my own skeleton-themed piece, using stuffed leather for the skeleton. This idea led me down a rabbit hole of anatomy books and pushing the leather medium to the limit of what I could do with it. A memento mori is a reminder that death comes for all of us—it means “remember you will die.” I see it not as something to be worried or sad about, but as a reminder to live it up during the time you have (#YOLO, “live your best life”).
The Evangelists
2006 | wood, leather, fabric, beads, sequins, paint, metal | 9.5” x 19.25” x 6.5” each
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Europe. There I saw many cathedrals and myriad depictions of the four Biblical evangelists shown as their symbolic animals: Matthew (human), Mark (eagle), Luke (bull), and John (lion). In these pieces, the main sculpted bust in the interior is the symbolic animal, while the human form of the saint along with their other symbolic aspects is painted on the side of the box. In addition, the saint’s day is listed on the box, as well as the constellation with which each evangelist is associated.
Private collection
Wilgefortis
2006 | beads, sequins, velvet, wood
Wilgefortis was once believed to be a Christian martyr, but now her story is thought to have been fabricated as an explanation of representations of feminine-looking Christ figures in lavish robes, created during the 14th century. According to the story, she was the daughter of a Turkish king, and one of a group of septuplets. She converted to Christianity and took a vow of celibacy. Her father decided to marry her off against her wishes. On the eve of her wedding, she prayed to become so ugly that her soon-to-be husband would no longer want her. That night she grew a full beard, and her groom broke the engagement. As punishment, her father had her crucified. While she was dying on the cross, a traveling violinist played for her, moving her so much that she kicked off one of her silver slippers as payment.
Private collection
Freya
2005 Carved and painted wood, gilding | 40” x 12-1/2”
Freya is one of Norse mythology’s most prominent goddesses, and the wife of the chief god, Odin. She is associated with love, beauty, and fertility, and is also a practitioner of magic and manipulation, in addition to being connected with the warrior Valkyries. Here, she is seen in her falcon-feather cape which allows her to transform into a falcon, riding in her cat-drawn chariot. In this piece, I’ve immortalized my cats Salvatore and Wanda, as the ones who draw the chariot.
Private collection
Oya and the Virgen de Candelaria
2004 | beads, sequins, velvet, wood, gilding | 19-1/2” x 28” each
When Europeans moved into countries practicing Santería, they forcibly “converted” everyone to Christianity. On the outside, it looked like the natives were worshipping Christian saints, but secretly, they attached their own gods to the images, making Santería a syncretic religion. These two pieces depict Oya in both her guises: as the goddess of change, combat, storms, and strength; and the traditional Virgin Mary (Virgen de Candelaria). The contrast is striking.
Arm Reliquaries: Cab Calloway, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Big Joe Turner, Billie Holiday
2003 | wood, leather, fabric, gilding
This series of sculptures is based on Catholic arm reliquaries that house the bones of saints. Depicting these famous musicians’ hands is a way to represent the talent that made them special. I chose to honor my favorite jazz artists: Cab Calloway, singer and showman; Charles Mingus, bassist and composer; Miles Davis, trumpet player; Charlie Parker, saxophonist; Billie Holiday, singer; and Big Joe Turner, blues shouter and pianist. When I work on art, I often listen to these jazz musicians and gain inspiration and pleasure from their work. I chose to show their hands because these are generally the instruments through which they revealed their gifts. Instead of enclosing a holy relic, these arms contain an embroidered inset of the musician’s instrument of choice, and their hands are in the position they would be if they were playing or singing.
Cab Callaway in private collection, Billie Holiday not pictured
Cherub
1999 | wood, leather, metal, gilding, fabric, tagua nut
Today, cherubs are depicted as chubby and cute. This is far from their original, awesome form as four-faced, four-armed guardian angels who keep anything out of heaven that will defile it. When Adam and Eve committed the Original Sin, the archangel Michael wept. From his tears sprang the four cherubim. Using flaming swords, they prevented Adam and Eve from reentering the Garden of Eden. They were used as guardians of the Ark of the Covenant as well. The prophet Ezekiel saw them in a vision of God, where they traveled on wheels covered in eyes. He called them the “four living creatures.” The cherubim are also associated with the seasons: eagle, winter; lion, fall; bull, summer; man, spring.
The Sky Goddess Nut
1998 | wood, leather, metal, gilding | 21” x 15” x 10”
Nut is the personification of the sky in Egyptian mythology. During the time of creation, Nut and her brother, the earth god Geb, were very fond of each other. For some reason, the sun god, Ra, was offended by their constant embrace, so he sent the sky god, Shu, to separate them. When Shu carried out his order, their separation caused the creation of Earth and the sky. The barque of the Sun travels across the arch of Nut’s back every day and night. Painted on the inside of this box are Egyptian depictions of the constellations. On the sides are the god of the Sun, Ra, and the goddess of the Moon, Isis.
Acteon
2007 | Fabric, embroidery floss, sequins, wood backing | 4”x 6”
In Greek mythology, Acteon was a great hunter. One day while in the woods with his hunting dogs, he came upon a clearing. There, in a lovely pool was the Moon goddess, Artemis, bathing with her attendants. Because she was known as the virgin goddess, she was less than pleased to see a man watching her. So, she turned him into a stag and his own dogs tore him to pieces.
Private collection
Ganesha
2007 | Fabric, embroidery floss, sequins, wood backing | 4”x 6”
In the Hindu religion, Ganesha is worshipped as the lord of beginnings, the lord of obstacles, patron of arts and sciences, and the god of intellect and wisdom. He is the son of the gods Shiva and Parvati, and is often depicted as having one broken tusk and always a big belly. Often, in one of his arms he holds a bowl of sweets.
Private collection
Medusa
2007 | Fabric, embroidery floss, sequins, wood backing | 4”x6”
Medusa was the only mortal member of a trio of beautiful sisters, the Gorgons. They were cursed by the gods to have snakes for hair and turn men to stone with a glance. The hero Perseus beheaded Medusa with the help of the goddess Athena. When her blood dripped into the ocean, Neptune created the winged horse Pegasus from it.
Private collection
Shiva Nataraja Dancing Time Into Being
2000 | wood, leather, fabric, gilding, metal
According to Hindu beliefs, Shiva, as Sri Nataraja, the Dancing Shiva, symbolizes divine activity and the source of movement in the universe, including the movement of time. His five-fold dance includes creation, veiling, preservation, destruction and release. The dance depicted in this sculpture is the creation dance, but later, when the end of the world is near, Shiva will again dance, but in a dance of destruction. He holds in one hand a little drum shaped like an hourglass. This beats out the rhythm of creation and the tempo of time. Another hand holds the flame of spiritual light, which burns off the veil of temporal life to reveal the void of eternity. Shiva dances on the back of the demon of ignorance, who drives people’s souls back into the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth. Shiva’s streaming hair symbolizes the wild hair of an aesthetic and also the Ganges River which came down to Earth from the Milky Way through Shiva’s hair. The halo of fire encircling the dancing figure symbolizes the cosmos.