Natsu-Zakura

Aug, 2022
Paper pulp and steel wire
Onna House, East Hampton, NY

Installation Natsu-Zakura brings together rich saffrons and lively pinks in a crisp enclosure and diagonal lines against black linear frames. Spots of light from ceramic sculpture lamps help create an atmosphere one would experience under tree canopies.  Onna House is an artspace founded by Lisa Perry, who restored this Japanese-inspired modernist house in East Hampton to show works by women artists and designers. In Japanese Natsu-Zakura can translate to summer cherry-blossoms, which do not exist. But who wouldn’t enjoy cherry blossoms in the summer too?

I collect and process waste paper to make these mobiles. I collect used and unusable color photo background paper rolls from artists and photographers in my Brooklyn studio building, break the paper down to pulp, and mix with an archival binding compound to make air-dry clay.  The pulp retains its original color. Rather than adding paints or pigments, I mix multiple pulps to make additional colors and textures.

After drying the clay becomes lightweight and durable. This allows lightweight wire structures to support a large quantity of paper elements. This also allows mobile compositions that make slow turns in response to us when we walk by them and stir the air.

The handbuilt ceramic sculpture lamps have lively forms and look like friendly creatures.