They Say
“Out of the mouths of babes”
Psalm 8:2 and Matthew 21:16.
They Say is an interactive artist's book that explores the immense influence of language and the ways words shape
identity, memory, relationships, and society. Through layers of cut paper, stitched elements, transparencies, woven
pages, hidden text, and movable components, the work invites viewers to navigate the complexities of communication,
discovering that words are rarely simple, singular, or neutral.
Throughout the book, familiar phrases, quotations, definitions, fragmented conversations, and isolated words collide
and overlap. Some pages obscure meaning while others reveal it. Certain messages can only be understood by looking
beneath a surface, while others are intentionally censored, interrupted, or left incomplete. The physical act of turning
pages, unfolding hidden elements, and peering through translucent layers mirrors the work required to uncover truth
amid competing voices and conflicting messages.
The title, They Say, refers to the countless voices that shape our understanding of the world—family, friends, teachers,
religious traditions, governments, media, literature, and strangers. We are constantly told what to believe, how to behave,
what is acceptable, what is dangerous, what is beautiful, and what is true. Yet these voices often contradict one another,
leaving us to determine which words deserve our trust and which should be questioned.
The book examines both the constructive and destructive power of language. Words have the ability to comfort, encourage,
heal, educate, and inspire. They can also wound, deceive, manipulate, divide, and silence. Even the words left unspoken carry
weight, influencing relationships and shaping the stories we tell ourselves and others.
Rather than offering definitive answers, They Say encourages reflection. It asks viewers to consider not only the words they hear
each day, but also the words they choose to speak, withhold, repeat, or believe. Ultimately, the work suggests that language is
one of humanity's most powerful creative forces—capable of building connection or creating division—and that every word
carries consequences far beyond the moment it is spoken.
Artist Statement
Words fascinate me because they are among the most powerful tools we possess. They can encourage or discourage, heal or
wound, reveal or conceal. A single sentence can change the course of a relationship, while silence can speak just as loudly as
anything we choose to say.
One of the moments in literature that has remained with me comes from Hamlet. When Polonius asks Hamlet what he is reading,
Hamlet simply replies, "Words, words, words." What begins as a straightforward question quickly unravels into misunderstanding,
wit, frustration, and manipulation. Shakespeare reminds us that words are never merely words. Their meaning shifts with context,
intention, timing, and the willingness—or unwillingness—of the listener to understand.
That idea became the foundation for this book.
As I assembled these pages, I thought about the language we carry throughout our lives. Some words become treasured
memories that encourage us for decades. Others linger as wounds that never completely heal. We all possess sentences we
wish someone had spoken to us, and others we wish we could take back.
Scripture describes the tongue as holding "the power of life and death," a truth that continues to resonate in a world where
language is often spoken carelessly and consumed instantly. Every conversation leaves something behind. Whether spoken
softly, shouted in anger, written anonymously, or left unsaid altogether, our words shape how we understand ourselves and one
another.
This book asks viewers to pause before speaking and to reflect on the weight language carries. What words have helped form
the person you have become? Which words still echo long after they were spoken? What truths remain unspoken because they
are too difficult, too vulnerable, or simply too late?
In the end, this work is less about language itself than about responsibility. Words are among the few things we create that
cannot be retrieved once released into the world. They continue to live in memory, shaping lives in ways we may never fully
know. Every word leaves an imprint. Some become part of our story. Others become part of someone else’s.
Year: 2018
Medium: Mixed media artist's book
Structure: This is a two sided work and is viewed depending
upon how the reader folds it, one sheet, 16 panels, plus
protective wooden cover.
Materials: Archival papers, mixed media, thread, glass beads
Dimensions: closed 10.75” x 7.5” x 1”
open 20.75” x 27” x .2”
Edition: Unique
Status: Available
