WHAT IS THE UTOPIAN RANCH?
The Utopian Ranch started as a bombastic maximalist 25 foot square art installation incorporating sculptural characters placed free standing against large constructed wall panoramas on paper and canvases.. The installation imagine a place where femininity, in all its forms, is celebrated in its strength, resilience, and perseverance. It evolves over time, but originates from a push against what is expected and invites the imagination to wonder to a fantasy land of extravagantly dressed women in couture ballgowns tending to life on a ranch. The installation is festoon with wildlife, fauna, flora, and ranch characters that play and represent different feelings and meanings.
“She,” as the protagonist, takes field trips to opulent imagined lands and situations that excite and challenge her thinking. The Utopian Ranch explodes with sparkle, glitter, and vibrant mixed media color. It is “camp”, and is cut out craft paper characters arranged in fanciful play. Each cut out component has both individual and collective connotation and intent. A childish whimsical style is combined with more realistic technique to provoke wisdom from its viewership and inspire playful thoughts to dance together. It is more than a place, it is a state of mind. Welcome, and enjoy your time here.
Visit my MFA thesis, to see more detail on this body of work and the research from which it has foundation.