Artist Statement

"Originality is . . . a by-product of sincerity."

~ Marianne Moore

Professionals, those making their living in the paper arts, please respect boundaries. Support individuality and authenticity in the arts. Character Constructions is an angel company, therefore this plea is not directed to anyone using my stamps in their hand-stamped artwork. My plea is to other artists and designers who would adopt my working concepts and "make them their own."

Developing a unique and personal artistic vision is about cultivating archetypal images and ideas. The ones that emerge from deep within your core. As artists it is our function to seek them out. To exhume them. To nurture them. It is what lies beneath the surface that makes the work authentic.

Have you ever wondered why everything starts to look the same in the paper arts? Perhaps it is because there are so very few people who understand that once they have achieved a mastery of tools and techniques the monumental task to becoming a mature artist lies in developing a personal vision.

I hope that if you take just one thing away from my web site, it will be this message. Delve into your inner core and find what is real and true. Study yourself. Study the objects you bring into your personal landscape. Ask yourself what they mean to you. Probe. Keep idea books. Never travel without a writing journal.

~ Catherine