About the Artist

photo courtesy of Katja Leibenath

Background-

I was raised in an environment where I met people from every country imaginable, mostly colleagues of my family members in their sociology, anthropology and public health work. I have traveled constantly (places ranging from Guatemala to Cairo) from a very young age and lived all over the United States and in 2 other countries.

This has given me a pretty broad, diverse and respectful view of humanity. I have examined ideas about how people and society work for as long as I can remember, and done art for as long as I can remember as well.

My artistic inspiration comes from many sources, and each builds on the others. I draw from my study of religions, history, anthropology, mythology and social psychology, as well as my experience as a teacher, healer, martial artist, gymnast, dancer/choreographer, amateur circus performer and world traveler. A religion/anthropology seminar on ritual informed my sense of space, while a particular shade of blue taken from an impressionist painting has made its way into my palette. A graduate course in social psychology sparked childhood memories and led to a project on perceptions of race. Recently a fascination with technology has entered into my work- precipitated by living so near silicon valley and being surrounded with programmers.

Though I find kinship with a tiny handful of artists (Janine Antoni and Bill Viola in particular), no specific artist or movement has heavily impacted my work. I have taken my sketchbook to museums and galleries all over the world, taking notes and distilling what is useful to me from many different sources, just as I take concepts and images from a rich and diverse life.

 

Education

Diploma, Harvard-Westlake, LA, Ca. May, 1995.
best possible score in all AP courses: Art History, Studio Art, and English Language.

BA in History of Religions, May 1999 Earlham College, Richmond IN.

Diploma in Fine Arts, Dec 2002 School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston MA.

MA in Integrated Arts Education, May 2004, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NH.

 

Art Affiliations-

Member of The Drawing Center's Viewing Program (since 9/04/07)- The Drawing Center, New York. about New York's Drawing Center

Member of Artmesh.org (since 2007)- an invitation-only international online group for artists and members of the arts community.

Resident Artist at Gallery One (2007-2008)- Gallery One was an artist-run Gallery hosting studio space to several bay area artists.

 

Upcoming Shows-

"Here, There and Everywhere: Anticipating the Future of Art" The Transcultural Exchange Center's exhibition/conference 4/2009, Boston. http://transculturalexchange.org/conference_2009/overview.htm

 

Shows-

Treasure Trove (9/08) Treasure Island Music Festival's Interactive Art and Culture Tent, San Francisco. A second installation of "Identity Tapestry" done on an expanded scale over two days.

"Alchemy" (4/26/08) an installation of "Identity Tapestry", Cellspace, San Francisco.

"Shaman" (10/07-11/07) Gallery One, San Francisco.

"Works on Paper" (7/07-8/07) Gallery One, San Francisco.

featured artist (8/06-3/07) The Artist's Alley, San Francisco. Works on display from the Sculpted Canvas Series and the Unconscious Exchange Series.

"The Postcard Show" (12/2/05) The Lab, San Francisco, "The Postcard Show challenges artists to stretch the parameters of media and conceptual strategies by doing what they do best- subverting and manipulating a theme to their own ends.

"Huis op de bodem van de zee " (9/03) This was a group show in the Netherlands based on a retreat during which each artist created a site-specific installation. These were documented with photography or video for the show, and several were transported to the gallery.

Iconoclasm (11/02) Harvard University. The show's theme was questioning Christian Icons and it set an atmosphere of classic Carnvale (a festival which playfully overturns societal standards). I contributed artwork and did a night-long performance based on the liminal character of the Fool.

Ceramic Sculpture Show (2000) School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

 

Press-

Interview and cover of Mission Arts Monthly (3/05) link to interview (text version), link to pdf version

back to main page