Ever started a work and discovered that you were capturing yourself? Muse is one of those works. The initial inspiration came after a trip down the dark paths beyond the lights and sounds of a Halloween event held at a local zoo... the place that darkness bleaches the colour from people making even the most colourful characters shift into black and white.

Muse is a self-portrait that was inspired by an encounter with a pale woman who was on her way to her booth.

Huge eyes in a pale face. The only glitter, her earrings, catching the light of the midway.

Muse is a bit uncomfortable to look at. There are parts of us that are undeniably unpleasant. Creepy [my sister says] and fitting of my goth side and her inspiration

Pique Assiette [broken china] with iridescent vitreous glass, porcelain, millefiore, iridescent star-shaped glass, mirror; acrylic, enamel and 18KT gold leaf paints, a skillet as the base and a gold tassle.

The bright colors on the side come from a Chinese ginger jar.