This might sound really odd, but the original inspiration for these came from the see-through elevator in a West Bank parking ramp near the Rarig Center in Minneapolis. I was walking between Fringe Festival venues in August and was distracted and fascinated by the inner workings of the lift that could be seen through the glass. Those mechanisms started out more literal in the first painting and evolved a lot, unexpectedly turning into something that reminds me of lungs (a subconscious throwback to the Phantom Organs paintings I did three years ago?). That moment was also what spurred me to add the phrase “my curiosity about the similarities between the things we build, and the things we are built of” to my artist statement – long before I had actually made the paintings. Constantly trying to catch up to my brain.

 

I’ll be installing an assortment of my work at One Yoga studio in Minneapolis on Saturday. It will be up for two months and I’ll post more details and photos once the show is up.