People often ask me, “Why tentacles?” Well the first answer has to do with the Jules Verne/ Earnest Haeckel theme of one of the rooms in my South Philadelphia brownstone. The `other comes from my fascination with the sea mixed with the mystery and endless imagination of the Victorian esthetic. The tentacle can be almost any color and any shape and so can Victorian architecture. The theme of my exhibit starts at the north end of the Cape May Mall. In the 1970’s the New Jersey Trust and Safe Deposit Box building located on the corner of Ocean Street and Washington Street, was an antique store. I was very young when I first went in there and my memory is quite fuzzy. I can’t say I remember anything more than the dark mysterious feeling of the place. Later in life, I often wondered what was in there. I imagined strange nautical artifacts and all things creepy and fantastical. For this exhibit I have used older pieces from around my home mixed with new works as well as sort of “collaborated” done with antique reproductions and old kitsch. Using broken items and turning them into something new.
I’ve noticed in life that the most influential experiences are the things one only gets a glimpse of but makes a big impact. The pieces in my show are what I imaged were in that store.
For this exhibit I have used older pieces from around my home mixed with new works as well as sort of “collaborated” done with antique reproductions and old kitsch. Using broken items and turning them into something new.