ExIconoclast

Is very much like my personality - too many things I love and am interested in to choose a single focus.

I produce both functional art and decorative art pieces. The functional art includes mirrors, switch plates, journals, cards, and my newest interest - walking sticks. The more purely decorative art often has its beginnings in recovered materials that I see potential in for development.

Lodestar Sticks began with my visits to the local "landscape refuse repository," where I saw so much beautiful wood going to waste, literally to the fire. I started collecting and the next thing I knew, I was making walking sticks. The sticks are all OOK because I am not very good at replication and no two sticks look alike. I use local central Illinois woods such as Walnut, Mulberry, Sycamore, American Wild Cherry, Red Twig Dogwood, Lilac, Osage Orange, alder, etc. I am more than happy to do custom work with your specific needs and tastes in mind.

My more decorative art includes art furniture and assemblage pieces, most of which is a reimagination of the imagery of Hispanic and Western European Catholic iconography and popular culture. Specifically, I work with the Virgin of Guadalupe and other Mexican incarnations of the Virgin such as La Virgen de Los Lagos and La Virgen de Campo; I also draw on the imagery of Dias de los Muertas and the Loteria. I work with medusa and anima sola imagery, Maria Dolorosa, St. Michael, The Sacred Heart, St. Agatha and St. Lucy. I find that Hispanic culture addresses some of the most basic issues of life such as birth, death, hope, desire, etc. in ways that are far more effective, fruitful, and helpful than traditional European responses to the same events.