The collaged elements in my wall mounted cabinets or boxes were a logical precursor to working with these materials in a two dimensional format. The painterly collages are made from paint picked up on sandpaper (from my furniture) which is then torn and reassembled, sometimes with added paint inclusions. Occasionally, paper from other sources will creep into the collage, and I am now doing some with added found objects as well. At best, they are purely abstract paintings where I get to deal solely with color, gesture, tonality and space relationships. Adding objects tends to corrupt this process, but gives me the opportunity to become narrative.

I wanted to do a piece using recycled wood strips for the outside surface or skin. After making this piece, Hippurites, the left over material beckoned to me, and I made a series of collage / assemblages with it. They are small and focused, primed by the words peeking through from the underlying maps. Other assemblages spring from a single image or one found object that focuses me on an idea or theme.