Commissions

As our conversations continued and I did a little research into Warren and his organization, I began making more and more connections to him, the history of this place and the work that has been done here. I became aware of his passion for this neighborhood, Asian culture and worship, meditation and adoration of his community and his commitment for the work to which he has devoted his life. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union is especially dear to me in that I have a lineage of Italian seamstresses and needleworkers on my mother’s side of the family. My daughter is following that path as a fashion design student in NYC at Parsons School of Design. Thus, the title “common threads” came to me.

It’s almost as if we were destined to find one another. As soon as our paths crossed, I felt that this project was meant to be. In these paintings, I’ve layered in some special elements that have geographic, historical and personal significance. This imaginary landscape holds many symbolic ingredients. Seeing the collection as a whole, unified piece is important, but as you look closer, you will become aware of the unique fragments that lend meaning and depth to the overall experience.

Embedded in the mixed media panels are pieces of maps, dressmaking patterns, printed and woven fabrics, handmade papers, decorative Chinese incense papers and daily newspapers, and most essential are the additions of the ILGWU logo seal and a vintage union tag with the local number for the Ladies Garment Workers Union. There may even be some hidden items known only to the artist.

The paintings give the viewer a continuous landscape experience that has a cohesive sense of place with an implied horizon line running through the entire series. It is a panoramic view of some other-worldly, watery environment that exists only in the artists’ imagination. The land formations and clumps of bamboo are mostly made from pieces of fabric and special papers that reflect the owners’ interests.

This landscape scene lends itself to endless interpretations depending on the viewer’s own point of view and personal memories. Anyone who encounters this space will see, absorb and respond to it differently. Viewing art can be a shared experience, but there will be as many different reactions as there are human beings walking past it each day. I feel that this idea of bringing together diversity of experience, work and interpretation is a reflection of the organizations housed in this building and the underlying mission of UniteHERE!

Warren’s personality and passions have also inspired the various elements you see here. His love of the ocean, walking the beach and the streets of his city neighborhood in Chinatown, his adoration of Chinese culture, practice of meditation and his vision for this historic building. Its uniquely diverse population and sense of purpose have all come into play during my process of creating this work. I only hope that it reflects the depth and character of the place it now calls home.