www.fiberarte.com

 ARTIST STATEMENT

The process of making art comes easily to me; I don’t suffer as other artists are known to do, and I enjoy every second of creating my work. If I live to be 1000, most of my ideas will still not have been realized. However, explaining myself as an artist...this is not easy. Words like ‘motivation’ and ‘inspiration’ mostly make me laugh… they’re just not me. I simply love to make art!

Plus, 'inspiration' should not need to be explained. Most good artists find it in everything they see, or even hear, and in everyone they meet.

I have had no formal training as far as art school or college is concerned. A few months at Chic School of Fashion (long defunct) in NYC at 18 taught me how to make garment patterns. This served me well in my fashion and costume days.  It also served to teach me not to trust fellow students (sons of 'garmentos') when they offered to walk me back to my apartment and wash my hair!

Over the years, workshops with Sheila Hicks, Walter Nottingham, Vera Lightstone, and Warren Seelig raised my art to a new level, and I appreciate all they taught me. The keystone piece in my well- received solo exhibit in 1990 was an artwork created at a two-week workshop by Seelig held at the Haystack School of Crafts in Maine. It was the beginning of my 'real' art experiences.

The beading part of my work began as a child when I discovered my cousin's sequin/bead box. Pandora couldn't have been more curious. Then, in my teens, I began designing and making costumes for carnivals in Puerto Rico, and later designed and made bridal and debutante dresses. My sportswear designs were featured in Vogue magazine when I was 21.

After many years 'away' from beading, my totally beaded cow 'La Mooochachka' was juried into CowParadeNY in 2000 and was sold for charity for $17,000.00...my beading gene kicked in again (no pun intended, Mrs. O'Leary!) and thus began my interest in beading once again, as evident in my jewelry.

Through the years, I have received many grants, several residencies, and much help from my children so that I might continue my work.

Two of my pieces were chosen to be in an exhibit called “9x9x3” at the American Craft Museum (now the Museum of Art and Design) in New York City. This show traveled throughout the US for 4 years. I also have a piece in the Zimmerli Museum at Rutgers University, in the permanent collection of the National Association of Women Artists. This collection contains eminent artists such as Mary Cassatt, Louise Nevelson and Judy Chicago and I am overwhelmed to be in such august company.

A  commission, which I installed a few years ago, was for the La Concha Hotel in San Juan, PR. Eight glass cases, each 6’x6’x14" were installed in the lobby; each contain a colorful hanging consisting of small hand-painted silk rectangles. Almost 7000 pieces were used for this project. It was shown in the August 2009 issue of Architectural Digest and is shown in detail on this website.

My work can be found in many countries, in residences, corporate offices, and hotels in the US, the Caribbean, South America, and in San Juan,  Puerto Rico, where I was born.