Collection: Laura Dean

Laura Dean was born in 1955 in Colorado and moved to Santa Fe in 1988.

"I have a small house and studio in the hills of Santa Fe. There is a pile of scavenged metal outside my studio, some old and some new. I keep my eyes open for material on walks through the arroyos and across the hills--it is hard to beat a desert patina".

If someone is replacing an old metal roof, Dean will offer to haul some of it away. There is a bucket assigned to old tobacco cans from cowboy camps. Stamped metal ceiling tin remains a big part of her collection, awaiting a purpose.

"I pass these salvaged treasures until their use in my artwork is clear, which sometimes can take years. My relationship with the stacks is a comfortable one. There is no pressure to transform these objects. I know their time will come, and in the meantime, I keep my eye out for more".

Dean creates small playful sculptures made from all recycled metals and materials.