About Five Faces Art 

Storytelling. Indigenous people. Time. These are the themes found intertwined, woven, coiled, riveted, sewn, formed, hammered, and fired in Five Faces Art.

I revel in the ritual of storytelling – the real, the imagined and the subconscious creations. Stories are intrinsic to our lives. As children we pretend and as adults we lose ourselves in books, movies and music. Each life story is truly unique and the face embodies the story within. Handmade books are one form of art I create which expresses the importance of storytelling in our lives.

Since I was a child I have been fascinated with indigenous people, particularly Native American Indians. I enjoy learning about all facets of their lives – their faces/physical characteristics, dress, architectural structures, spiritual beliefs and storytelling. Respect for the wisdom of elders, the earth and its creatures is woven into the fabric of their being. I share these values as well. When I discovered that several of my ancestors were of Cherokee descent, my curiosity and connection strengthened. My artwork is greatly influenced by tribal visual elements that are wild and raw.

Five Faces artwork refers to the various faces and stories presented on our life passageway – infant, child, teen, adult, elder. Time is an essential element of story. It impacts and alters us. The face in the Five Faces logo symbolizes the formation of life and is a reference to a tribal mask. The finger smudge has multiple meanings: the hand of death and the physical body becoming one with the earth again, the ancient Native American practice of smudging (purifying with smoke of sacred herbs to clear negative energy), and the simplest form of artmaking – the art we can create with our fingers! My artwork is unpolished and primitive echoing the strength and intrigue of age. I use natural materials such as metal, fibers, beads, paper and clay, as these transform with time. I hope you dig my stories and are inspired to share your own!

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