The hen has been central to the iconography of my paintings. My fascination with this animal has evolved from exploring it as a two-dimensional subject to using it as the medium itself. My bejeweled chicken skulls interplay the image of the hen and all her connotations with the rugged machismo associated with large, exotic, mounted game. In this body of work I appropriate trendy and clichéd accoutrements of femininity, exploiting the color pink and using rhinestones as accents. In a new installation, I have broadened my vocabulary to construct a “trophy wall” of farm animals and beloved pets. These larger skulls are adorned in a fashion similar to the smaller pieces. Each skull is candy-coated in hues of glossy enamel and decorated with a memorial portrait of the animal along with a fictional name, habitat or owner. Tiny rhinestones are used as accents that draw attention to the marvelous intricacies of the skulls with their many hollows, fragile projections, and lacy contours. Sculpted horns that mimic deer antlers or steer horns adorn each piece, large and small. Each skull’s tender decoration and meticulous detailing evokes the intimacy of a fetish object, while their large sculpted horns imply a more grandiose history.
