The Mask Years
For years, I made clay masks from the “inside out,” sculpting wet clay directly on my face. To highlight the primal power of the masks, I raku-fired them in smoky tones of charcoal, white and rust. The masks have been featured in group exhibitions at The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Brooklyn Museum, and in my own ritual performances at, among others, The Metropolitan Mu
seum of Art, The American Museum of Natural History, The Betty Parsons Gallery, and in France at The Festival Mondial du Theatre and The Festival des Arts Traditionnels. Onto Mosaics
I love the art of the mosaic – joining disparate broken fragments of color into a whole. I studied Byzantine mosaic technique in Ravenna, Italy and Antonin Gaudi’s modernist mosaics in Barcelona, Spain. But I am finding my own way – I handcraft clay tiles, often imprinted with my own stamps, then experiment with crystal glazes to achieve vibrant bursts of color. I begin with a drawing then improvise to let the smashed shards, along with colored mirror glass, dictate unexpected placement and final design. I don’t use grout but rather sand and nip pieces for a seamless fit. This takes untold hours but the final work reflects more sculptural relief. My mosaics have been shown in NYC galleries and at The National Lighthouse Museum. Day Job
I have been an arts educator at Hunter College Campus School for over 30 years and received the Studio Potter Magazine award for “Outstanding Clay Educator.”
