June 2003
Artist's Statement: Flesh & Spirit

With a show title like "Outside the Box," I spent a long time thinking about, well, the outside of the box. It seemed important to create a beautiful box, a box that was remarkably artistic and sensational. Those expectations intimidated me until I suddenly realized if the box were a body, I would have wanted to make it a perfect blonde, when the outside of the box is so much less important than what's inside the box!

The box began as a Grey Goose Vodka box and I've made a conscious decision to keep the box as box-like as possible on the outside, leaving its "skeleton" seams visible. I've chosen to display what's beneath our skins, the mysterious, almost magical way our flesh fits together to form life and consciousness in ways we take for granted. And the insides, the spirit? Like looking into anyone's soul, it's probably different than you expect!

Gretchin Lair