Artist Statement:

The connection of mind and body has always been an enigma and continues to be pondered and explored in art. The symbolic nature of our unconscious thoughts and dreams play an important role in the dichotomy of mind and body. Figurative art opens the possibilities of metaphor for exploring the nature of being human. These components are explored in this work through juxtaposing and layering imagery through the media of painting and printmaking. Through this creative venture the objective is to answer questions that have arisen in the process of the work. Is there a true separation of gender or do each of us contain a certain balance of the masculine and the feminine? What is the connection between our conscious processes and the unconscious mind as individuals, and how is this affected by our interaction with others? Using the human figure in conjunction with layered imagery provides the metaphoric material, which begins to reveal these relationships.
Painting and printmaking are both steeped in history and offer an abundant well of expression. The intention is to explore and expand this knowledge of painting and printmaking, through the use of the human figure, by investigating its historical usage and its symbolism. The exploration brings about a metaphorical interpretation of the figure and its connection with being human.

We cannot understand a body except as being divisible, while by contrast we cannot understand a mind except as being indivisible. For we cannot conceive of half a mind, while we can conceive of half a body, however small; and this leads us to recognize that the natures of mind and body are not only different, but in some way opposite.
- Decartes