I have always lived by the phrase “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Even before I started sculpting, I’d be out and about on garbage day looking for those forlorn, unloved pieces at the side of the road that I could drag home and breathe back to life. I just loved the entire process of it. Looking back, it really makes sense that my sculptures utilize the same philosophy. All of my pieces are probably 90-95 percent recycled/repurposed material. Chunks of sidewalk, sticks, boards, plastic and paper shopping bags, wire hangers… I use them all. Plus paper, a LOT of paper. I actually didn’t start sculpting until about 11 years ago after I severely injured my back and had to close my interior/exterior painting business. Literally in 1 second, I went from being independent and happy working 50, 60, sometimes 70 hours, to being completely dependent on help and struggling just to get through the day. I was going absolutely crazy! One afternoon , I remembered a random roll of chicken wire I had laying in the backyard and I sent my sitter out to get it. Even though I’d never had any formal artist training, it just felt… right. My first piece, a 5’x5’ suspended dragonfly, sold quickly and, just like that, my new and improved life as an artist began. From animals to people and everything in between, I make it all. Early on, I had a hard time “labeling” what it was I actually did. It started off as traditional papier-mâché but, because I wasn’t mobile at all, I wasn’t able to buy any artist paint. However, I did have lots magazines so, in desperation really, I tore pages and used them for color. Nowadays, it’s morphed even further into my own little, unique process. I’m pretty comfortable calling myself a Paper Mosaic Sculptor and, I really enjoy explaining my work to people. The look on their face when I tell them there is no paint anywhere on the piece - it makes me smile every time.