The ideas for this work came to me after seeing images of the destruction incurred inside homes in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina. I was inspired by the sight of the lower part of a room being decayed and full of debris, while the top half was seemingly untouched. The above and below were separated by a jagged line and it was this line that started me tearing paper, rather than cutting it, mimicking the process of decay or destruction. I added geometric cut shapes and printed and hand-made papers to reflect how the processes or creation and destruction bring new life out of decay. This was all done, not in a vacuum, but at a time when our planet is seemingly being “re-created” as the global financial meltdown spreads to every part of our lives.

    As the new work progressed I started to cut out shapes such as spirals and hands, and this visual vocabulary is increasing. A tribute to the genius of Matisse’s paper cut-outs, I hope this work allows me to explore new avenues of creativity and expression.

    This work is mounted on wood panels and sealed under a glossy, protective acrylic surface.