My leather constructions are embellished with polished wood, tumbled glass, and cowrie shells, painted with acrylics. I manipulate vibrant and sometimes muted colors often infusing them with textures and touches of metallic highlights. Leather’s ability to be manipulated lends itself purposefully to me, enabling me to compose these low-relief assemblages. The use of exciting colors, overlapping construction, and original shapes combine past cultures with contemporary forms. As a teacher of the arts I taught with breadth, wealth, and deliberation; as an artist, my work reveals respect for the earth, integrity of the human spirit, unity of family, the fidelity of friends, and pride in my heritage.