THE SPARROW

I am only a little sparrow
A bird of low degree
My life is of little value
But the dear Lord cares for me
He gave me a coat of feathers
'Tis very plain I know
With never a speck of crimson
For it was not made for show
But it keeps me warm in winter
It shields me from the rain
Were it bordered with gold and purple
Perhaps it would make me vain

I have no barn or storehouse
I never sow or reap
God gives me a sparrow's portion
But never a seed to keep
If my meat is sometimes scanty
Close picking makes it sweet
I have always enough to keep me
And life is more than meat
I know there are many sparrows
All over the world they're found
But our heavenly Father knows
When one of us falls to the ground

Though small, we are never forgotten-
Though weak, we are never afraid
For we know that the dear Lord keeps
The lives of the creatures He made
I fly through the thickest forest
I light on many a spray
I have no chart or compass
But I never lose my way
Author Unknown

Reaction Series

My current work involves the use of tragic images from the earthquakes of Haiti and China in the past decade. The work is made of fabric, porcelain, photographs, charcoal and paint.

The first piece in the series "Untouched Unaffected Desensitized Indifferent," uses four teacups. The teacups represent a common object, usually adorned with the mass-produced label of "made in china." The images are haunting. The teacups are broken and empty, encased in a glass box. No one is allowed to touch them or glue them back together. They may only be looked at.

The piece is a critique of the news media, particularly television. Tragedy is glanced over. With short bursts of reporting, and frequent commercial breaks, the viewer does not have time to process devastation and pain. The viewer is reminded that they cannot change those events in far away places like Haiti or China. But they can buy the right shampoo, a greener car, go see a movie, or donate to a charity.