The character of the materials I choose is essential to the aesthetic, emotion and meaning of the work. By juxtaposing words, images and objects I seek to create a visual language that communicates on multiple levels, engaging the viewer and challenging them to unlock each work’s meaning.

Background on the individual works presented in this online portfolio follows.

The Fruit Cake, The Nut House, and The Basket Case

Mentally ill individuals are often described   by derogatory colloquialisms, such as "nuts," "fruit cake," etc.   To dramatize the absurdity of such labels, given their literal definitions, sculptural objects were made to express these terms.   Each object is placed on a pedestal with an engraved brass label,  a metaphor for the manner in which individuals are negatively categorized.

Dysthymia, Melancholia Attonita, Cyclothymia, Periodic Mania, Depressive Neurosis, and Chronic Melancholia

British psychiatrist Hugh Welch Diamond was one of the first in his field to document the mentally ill with photography. While superintendent of the Female Department of the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum from 1849 to 1858, Diamond photographed his patients. Building on the work of previous physiognomists, Diamond studied the correlation between a patient’s physical appearance and mental state. Ultimately, he hoped to create a model for diagnosing and treating mental illnesses by identifying key physical characteristics and corresponding medical symptoms.

The idea that an individual’s mental state could be revealed and classified solely by their appearance is the focus of this series. While Diamond’s motivation was altruistic, in the extreme, the approach is clearly subject to the pitfalls of "judging a book by its cover."

In these mixed media paintings, Diamond’s philosophy is used to categorize found pieces of wire, that in their weathered state, had taken on abstract human forms. These "people" are labeled based on their appearance using classifications employed by Diamond, some of which are still in clinical use today. The figures are then caged in a sparse room, a padded cell, for observation. The bars literally establish an institutionalized setting, but also represent the confining nature of labels and stereotypes, and the disease itself.

Although we live in a more "politically correct" society, people are still judged and labeled by their appearance … ethnicity, social status and perceived mental stability. Ironically, those who look craziest could be the sanest of all, just as an individual appearing to blend into society could still be secretly trapped by their mental illness.

View Box Series

The small size of Black Bile, Unable to Untie Myself, Hard to Handle, and Melatonin encourages close inspection by the viewer, creating a sense of intimacy with the subject inside. Magnifying lenses offer the sensation of peering into a microscope, examining the thoughts in a person’s mind and their roots. However, the viewer is only able to catch a glimpse of this inner world, forced to view with just one eye.

Unable To Untie Myself From My Thoughts #1 & #2

In these two pieces, the obvious reality of the situation is that the figure is literally bound to oneself. At the same time, twine serves as a metaphor for the disease, forever binding the sufferer to their condition and resulting psychological reality. Frustration is seen in the penetrating eyes of the individual, revealing a sense of vulnerability, terror, and a hint of madness.

Depression, Shelter, Shell, and Louise

One of the most common and universal forms of mental illness is depression, which often prohibits individuals from functioning within a society’s boundaries. Sufferers describe their condition as being trapped in a personal "hell" filled with emotional anguish, emptiness, isolation and insurmountable despair. The disease strips its host’s sense of control and protection, causing them to feel exposed and unsheltered. Yet, traditionally, mental illnesses, including depression have been misunderstood or minimized by many societies. Victims are frequently ostracized and told their suffering results from personal weakness, ignoring the medical implications of the disease.

In this series, found objects are incorporated as a metaphor for the lost, battered soul while dark squares symbolize the constant looming presence of the disease. Grids and grills portray societal boundaries, the stigma and stereotypes that can serve to isolate and psychologically imprison the individual, as well as the confining nature of the condition.

In Depression, Shelter and Shell, each word is phonetically segmented to form separate words. For example, "Depression" is segmented as deep, press and shun. "Shelter" is separated as shh, hell and tore, while "Shell" is she, he, hell, shell. By associating each new segmented word with images and mixed media, I uncover a new layer of meaning to the segmented word, which in turn, relates to the core word.

In Louise, words are subtly transformed into the lines and marks of a drawing of the brain, while a spring and wire form the central nervous system. The brain consists of twisted words, literally and symbolically. A metal grid again traps the figure, which is lit from behind, alluding to an x-ray.