ARTIST STATEMENT
Kristina is fascinated by the experiences and emotions that make up the depth and breadth of human experience. Throughout her work, there is often a reference to the human form, often women’s bodies, and the internal and external influences which act upon them. She considers events such as abandonment, betrayal, disconnection, judgement, misrepresentation, and loss, and represents the accompanying feelings of fear, sadness, revulsion, anger, forgiveness, and understanding through her sculptural forms.
Through making, Kristina seeks perfection but discovers true beauty in the imperfections caused by chance, nature, and human interaction. While the biomorphic qualities of her pieces connect the viewer and invoke emotional responses, the repetitive forms common in much of her work reminds one of the universality of life experiences. She employs familiar and historic fiber techniques, sometimes with the incorporation of modern materials (manufactured textiles, thread, glass, metal, and plastic), to remind the viewer of both the past and current contexts, with her choice of a traditionally-feminine medium reinforcing the themes and the tactile/visceral qualities of her work.
BIOGRAPHY
Originally from Oregon, Kristina began working with fiber and textiles as a small child, learning to crochet and sew during her summer visits to her grandparent’s farm on an island in the Pacific Northwest. After receiving her undergraduate degree in biology, she attended Otis College of Art and Design, concentrating on sculpture and environmental design, and received a graduate degree in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture. She worked in film production, stage design, and architecture prior to rediscovering fiber as a medium as mother of young children, living in Washington, DC. Her work has been shown at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC and galleries/art centers throughout the United States and in Brazil.