Universal Deluxe, 12″x12″, Laser Pyrography, Watercolor, Acrylic

Sunbeam Mixmaster S, 12″x12″, Laser Pyrography, Watercolor, Acrylic

Oster Scientific Jr Massage Instrument, 12″x12″, Laser Pyrography, Watercolor, Acrylic

I love looking not just at work but at the tools used. They carry so much of the story with them. In the series Convenient, I selected 3 vintage machines from my personal collection.  A sewing machine, a stand mixer, and a vibrator. Visually, all three belong together, with their mid century metal and ceramic curves. Philosophically, they belong together as well. Each one promised women something, and truly did deliver, but they also demanded. Clothes could be mended faster, but now custom pieces would be requested. Food prep tasks took less effort, but the expectation was that more tasks would be undertaken. Sexual gratification was within reach without a partner, but that deferred conversation about women’s bodies and needs. This last machine was omitted from archives almost entirely, hidden behind ridiculous names and false purposes.

Convenient places these items in the archive where they belong. Elevated, in full focus, they shine as art in their own right. The dark regions of the image are burned with a laser into wood, creating an indelible mark and lush texture. Watercolor gently fills in the shapes, working with the wood grain of the panel. Finally acrylic paints clarify, enhance, and punctuate the pieces, allowing the image to be a kind of ghost of itself. The materials stand as witness to the contradiction of these objects and submit them as beautiful, complex things to be remembered.