My career as an artist began when I admitted in my early fifties that I was a full-blown anorexic. Sculpture became a way to capture the emotional and mental bondage of my illness.

The first piece, Running on Empty, was a life-size paper tracing of my body. Elemental and primitive in motif, it explores issues underlying anorexia and the battle that raged deep within me. The composition exploded into a series of more than 100 sculptures, called Body of Work: The Art of Eating Disorder Recovery. Some pieces emerged spontaneously, almost recklessly, while other forms came to life gradually.

The collection is a brutally honest account and an emotive use of form. It “reads” like a gutsy and revealing sculptural diary. While the work depicts the passions, obsessions and rituals of life with an eating disorder, there is an urgency and universality to its scope. It speaks to the human condition well beyond the walls of often-misunderstood mental illnesses. Yet it transforms mental illness into an accessible, visual and visceral experience.

Assemblage-style forms from found objects and ordinary materials are fused with simple fabrication methods. Although many elements relate to food and eating, they offer layers of conceptualism and interpretation in a deeply human context.

After the first piece, I was drawn to boxes as a medium for expression. Each one an abundant vessel. Other everyday materials began to grab me. I incorporate those that are raw and earthy in texture, shape and structure. The palette is neutral. The juxtaposition of simple materials with complex themes is intentional. The stark visual context draws the emotional intensity to the surface. Subtlety and boldness exist side-by-side. Descriptive text accompanies each piece, sharpening the work. Text and image have equal weight.