Since I was a young child, I have had a deep interest in all facets of the cultures of early humans and more modern primitive peoples-- in particular, their art and their mythology. It was my proposal, therefore, to combine these interests with the styles of my earlier works by using images drawn from the various aspects of my ancestry in several pieces of work in which the layering of those images-- similar to the layers of my heritage-- was used. My choices were limited to a set number of images listed in a "dictionary of symbols." I continued to engage in on-going research of these symbols to determine if there were relationships in their meanings between the various cultural elements of my ancestry.

In the fall of 1972 I was required to read Dee Brown's "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" as an "atmosphere setter" for a seminar on artists of the westward expansion in the United States. When I first started making drawings of some of the Indian leaders, I had no idea of doing a series. I also had no idea that Indians and more especially those of the West, would be consuming so much of my time and thoughts for such a long period. In the beginning the drawings were prompted by a fascination with the bone structure of the Indian faces. The high cheekbones, the prominent noses and unusual eyes caused marvelous patterns of light and dark, making the faces very conducive to caricature. As I began to know these faces as individuals and personalities, however, I knew that caricature was not the direction which i wanted to pursue.

In the history of ceramics my interest centers around times in particular cultures when ceramic containers were an essential part of life. I am most interested in functional pottery produced in nineteenth century North America between the years 1800-1870. This was a period in which some of the finest pots used for containing things were produced.

As the Chair-Woman series has progressed, I have explored the various means to enhance its interpretation. I have determined that materials such as wood and fabric result in a more intimate reading than bronze. However, I have not explored how scale and proximity to other objects will affect the reading. The questions I am seeking to resolve relate to possibilities for expanding the meaning and significance in the Chair-Woman series.

The project involved producing a group (16) of audio-visual installations that successfully displayed and exposed various Muzak situations. The following questions, relating to individual pieces, were of concern: 1. What is the basic intent of each installation or piece? 2. Does the piece communicate the intent of the artist? 3. Which installations or pieces will adapt to any space? 4. What visual documentation is necessary to preserve the idea?

This problem concerns the production of large scale ceramic sculpture and its affect on the working method of the artist. Traditionally, western ceramics deals with functional pieces of a personal scale, that is smaller ceramic works which serve specific utilitarian purposes. The concepts of clay as an art medium and the studio-potter have developed over only the last 125 years of western ceramic history.

Throughout history man has decorated paintings and art objects with materials as diverse as shells, seeds, beans, horns, seedpods, hair, feathers, ostrich eggs, coral and nuts. I proposed to explore the potential of using such materials to embellish framing devices for small paintings. Any material could be included in this exploration. The embellished frames have become a part of the total painting and are not removable. The solution included not only the practical, physical aspects of presentation, but also dealt with the purely visual aesthetic ones as well.

Although clay has been used throughout history as an embellishment of architectural structures, clay elements have usually remained subordinate to existing architectural forms. Three-dimensional ceramic modules which divided an existing space, altered or obscured architectural forms, and intersected with or penetrated established planes provided a greater interaction between clay and architecture. I explored the use of clay as an integral three-dimensional element which interacted with an architectural space, rather than merely surfacing it. Because the installation of these works was temporary, methods of connecting the clay elements to the architecture were also investigated.

The purpose of this project was to investigate the possibilities of reorganizing space by arranging woven modules. These units were to be separable and flexible in regard to their spacial relationships and interrelatedness in any installation. This problem was examined in these specific ways: 1) Is it possible to create a sense of volume in forms woven flat on a standard floor loom as simple, single-layer or double-layer fabrics and later manipulate them into three-dimensional structures? 2) how can fundamentally simple, fibrous materials be utilized to achieve an effect of scale without overpowering their intrinsic qualities? 3) To what extent, if any, will lighting interact with woven fabric to create the illusion of an extended space? 4) can woven modules be created with enough flexibility of form to be responsive to varying relationships to each other and to specific installation spaces?

The project involved the investigation of the effects on my painting when switching from single, large-scale portraits to a narrative format involving two or more figures.

The purpose of the creative project was an attempt to intensify the perceptual disruption while simultaneously continuing my exploration of the expressive power of certain images and symbols. These ideas were explored in a new series of paintings.

My problem was to combine warp ikat woven in crowfoot satin weave with supplementary weft techniques, in order to increase visual depth and maintain visual unity.

The purpose of this study was to develop a vocabulary of patterns and motifs based on Persian and Mesopotamian styles. Then, using the characteristics mentioned above, to create a body of work, approximately twenty pieces, using that vocabulary.

My concerns relate to the process of imagery development and the process of utilizing suitable materials to execute my work. These concerns are dictated by the themes in a particular piece and revolve around an acute sense of loss. These themes are frequently presented with humor.

The unique nature of this process raised major technical questions that I intended to address during this project. The purpose was to obtain a quality surface, considering both visual and textural considerations, while using the copper matt finish.

The purpose of this investigation has been to review the various forms of passementerie in order to provide a background for weaving narrow bands and ribbons. While the basic fabric structures, plain weave, twill, and satin are used in the production of ribbons, some problems occur in adapting them to the narrow form.

This problem tries to bring together a comprehensive array of themes. There has been a duality between painterly techniques, recognizable images and disjunctive imagery. The subtractive painting technique used has created smooth transitions between images and made these hybrid realities more convincing.

The problem for this creative research in lieu of thesis has been to investigate in depth the difficulties and possibilities encountered when combining the woodcut and intaglio media into one entirely editionable print. Arriving at this particular problem was natural-- I feel an innate affinity and facility for creating with the woodcut medium.

My proposed objective was to create eight illustrations using Fusion as a tool to communicate concepts. I posed the following questions for evaluation. 1. Can I create two-dimensional illustrations effectively when applying the knowledge and techniques I have studied? 2. In what way will the use of multiple techniques affect the concept?

In my problem I explored the nature and results of the juxtaposition of the sacred and mundane and its relationship to the specific formal elements of image and content in the paintings. I analyzed a small number of paintings (approximately four), selected from the new body of work. This analysis was conducted by answering each of the six stated questions as they pertained to the selected group of paintings as a whole.

While I worked, I made a number of pieces that followed a common theme, each relating to the piece made before and after. This way of working revealed new possibilities for expression. During this particular body of work, I explored a specific series of forms that could be used in the preparation and presentation of food and drink.

This project is an investigation into the sources of sustained, thematically related images through a series of drawings, prints, photographs and sculpture. Because I have always worked best when I have hit upon an image or set of images of considerable symbolic depth, and because I have generally found such images intuitively, a major portion of this project is to determine if such images can be discovered more consciously.

Through this study I intended to analyze and determine the significance of the recurring imagery that emerged as an integral part of my compositions. Furthermore, I attempted to discern the importance and over all the effects of the small scale upon my work and determine how vital is the spontaneity that is used to obtain each composition.

A comparison of classical and contemporary cultures was made by recreating classical sculptural imagery in contemporary recyclable materials. I proposed to use the detritus of modern culture to render sculpture that was ancient in subject, stance, and scale. The intention of this work was to create a visual discourse between cultures by bringing together elements of each, showing points of congruence and disparity.