I am passionate about working with found materials, aka my “trash”. I am especially attracted to those items that show use, wear and even some rust. I love stuff with character. I often find myself wondering about the person who made these materials, who used them, who held them. I like to think that a part or energy of that person is still contained in these things, and now it’s transferred into the artwork. I’m giving that discarded piece of metal, or that old photograph, a new life, a different life. I am thrilled that I can use this stuff and that it becomes part of my creative process. These various materials are every bit as important to my art making as is a tray of oils are for a painter. For me, walking through a flea market is like walking through a well-stocked art materials store. The flea market…