“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you” Gospel of Thomas
‘Left Brain Madness’
The discovery of two large masses on my ovaries and a prognosis of high risk for cancer (it wasn’t in the end) precipitated my foray into making art. It forced the question; what am I not doing, that I really want to? I wanted to make art.
Having no talent or admittedly interest in drawing or painting this seemed a little arrogant at best. However, I was drawn to cockroaches. Living in Florida at the time, they would occasionally show up dead under the couch. Interestingly, when I made the decision to use them for the purpose of making art, one would show up dead outside my back door almost every single day. I wondered if my cat was catching them. Were they surrendering themselves for art? Whatever the reason, I saw it as a good omen.
Inspired by a lifelong curiosity for exploring the Shadow; my intention with my art is to delve into those shady recesses we tend to avoid. I believe this is where we discover our treasure. As reviled little creatures that inhabit the dark, cockroaches provide the perfect medium for this exploration.
“In spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness – or perhaps because of this the shadow is the seat of creativity” Carl Jung
‘The Dinner Party’ (postcard by Martin Creed)
My first solo exhibition, ‘Cockroaches and Consciousness’ explored the connection between cockroaches and consciousness. You can peruse the exhibit here. Please note that some of the content is of a sensitive nature which some viewers may find unsettling.