These "Veil Cards" are a part of a larger body of work that began with an investigation of the veil across time and civilization. Currently - in this troubled world - Western Cultures think of the veil as an idea solely belonging to Islam, an idea (and practice) that somehow demonizes women. I wanted to look at the many ways that people have used the veil by looking back throughout the art historical canon.

This grew into a larger idea beyond merely the veil but also to include veiling - being veiled or not. And all the meanings of being veiled: secrecy, hiding, identity, power, modesty, and conversely . . . seduction (partial veiling and unveiling).

The format of the change of identity cards comes from the Nineteenth century card game.  “The game consists of placing a variety of painted costume cut-outs over the figure of a young woman.” (Caroline Davidson: Women’s Worlds: The Art and Life of Mary Ellen Best 1809-1891) I came across the work of Mary Ellen Best (a ‘lady’ watercolorist) in my research of women’s art of the nineteenth century with respect to the evolution of female visual culture.  

Painted paper collage is just another way of making a painting.  I think of these as paintings.  I paint the paper with gouache and then cut out the shapes and assemble the images.  It is very low tech.  They get built up into many layers and thicknesses during this process, which allows for a lot of freedom.  You can add to or take away from a painting with scissors, x-acto knife or glue (matte medium.)  They are each 6 3/8 by 4 3/8 inches – made of gouache on paper with gold leaf and sometimes mylar.

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