Florida Artist:

Ephemera calls to me. They tell me that they want to be recontextualized (sometime for a second time, as mother nature has already recontextualized discarded rusty metal a first time) into something new. Some times in a supporting role, sometimes as the star. I try to elevate the disenfranchised. I uncover a sometimes poignant beauty in the depreciated detritus of the everyday. I try to bring a sense of magic by recombining, altering, disassembling, reassembling and distilling these discarded elements into an artwork that gives them a new lease on life. Scavenged treasures - those I prospect for and also from others in my community that love to bring me their treasures - are the fodder for my work. Some of these treasures lay fallow for years before the 'oh yeah' surfaces. I am drawn to the metaphoric references of depreciated objects such as keys, keyholes, frayed rope, shells, bare bones and feathers. I try to tap into the universal that is in these objects. I try to form new and different icons and images that are full of mystery and irony and that speak to a personal as well as a universal experience. I work intuitively, lead by my materials, striving towards an artistic balance, an intriguing design, and a singular statement that rings true. - Kathy O'Meara