In the early history of Jewish art, the commandment concerning not making an image to worship was interpreted to mean that one should not make illustrations depicting God or even people. To get around this and still use art in our community, Jews created illustrated texts that put animal heads on human bodies. This created some pretty strange images of a bird headed Abraham and a lion headed Adam (see The Bird Haggadah). Inspired by these bizarre images shaped by theology, my culture and the stories of the Bible (among other things) my shadow boxes were born. I also love Mexican Folk art, the art of Tim Burton, Frida Khalo, Edward Gorey, traditional tattoo images, robots, animals - and they all wind up in the mix somehow.

Most of my shadowboxes are a combination of found and handmade. I find discarded dresser drawers, I sculpt the figures from polymer clay and then sew their little outfits (mostly from vintage fabric scraps). I usually have a theme or character in mind before I begin but I don't plan things out too carefully. I like to let it happen.

My illustrations are inspired by the drawings found in Victorian naturalist books. I draw on wood or paper with pen and ink and then use watercolor.