ART 

My pieces are one-of-a-kind: I use "found objects" in nature and combine them with photos, pieces of stone, shell, glass, leather and music manuscript.  
 

I love going out after a storm and collecting palm husks that have fallen.  Free supplies, just lying around!  What makes me notice a particular husk or frond is its form.  I view them as vessels, bodies that are  receptive to transformation.  There is a sacred connection I feel to these forms as I clean them thoroughly, remove any loose debris, mold, insects, etc. I use a very soft brush to burnish the fronds to a natural lustre.  A bit of white vinegar and water works well on mold.

 

This process has become a kind of healing ritual of redemption for me.  While I prepare the forms during this stage, I meditate on my own imperfections, things that I need to forgive in myself and in others.  When I have 5 or more pieces cleaned and ready, I study their orientation in space; sometimes a form looks better to me just the way it fell on the ground, and I will try to work with that shape.

 

Some of them I white-wash, some I shellac, based on the grain and age of the piece. I love pouring resin over some of them; it makes colors pop and takes it to another level!

 

Depending on the client's preference, they can be mounted on a stand, or hung on a wall.  They look beautiful by candlelight! When I lived in a small concrete block house in Broward County, I shared the space with about 10 adult sized palm fronds!  I always found myself saying "Excuse me" when I bumped into them...