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Gail Rappa
The work that I am doing now with shadowboxes allows me to play and experiment with multiple images to tell a story. My current favorite materials to work with are jet, which is fossilized coal, and cattle bone. They have a similar feeling when polished, very smooth and silky and are soft enough that I can work them into intricate shapes. The raven in my work represents the wild and instinctual part of a woman’s nature that will not be confined or tamed. There truly is a humble form of alchemy that occurs for me when a common material becomes precious when combined with silver and gold and I never tire of this transformation. I love the dual nature of wearable pieces, how there is often a front which is for everyone to see, and a back or inside, which the wearer can keep private. I often include special quotations and inspirational reminders on the backs of my pieces to give added strength and courage to the wearer. It is an intimate and rewarding exchange when one of my finished pieces gets displayed on a woman’s body; my hope is that the joy that she initially receives upon viewing the piece is multiplied each time she shares it with another.
Wild Women:Benedict Church Durham Ericson Hansen Jordan Knous Orr Prodaniuk Rappa Teske Wallis