I am attracted to using old and reclaimed materials because I find beauty and character in their less-than–shiny-new state.  Their aged and humbled appearance remind me of the transient nature of all things and I enjoy combining and transforming them into intimate assemblages that give them a new heartbeat.  I collect objects that I find interesting or attractive at the Resource Exchange, thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and other second hand venues.  Going about my daily life, I always keep my eyes open and I have found precious discarded treasures laying on the ground or even in the trash.  The objects relocate to my studio where they are spread out all over the floor, walls and tables.  I enjoy living with them and arranging different items, as many times as it takes until I find combinations that speak to me.  After the designs are complete, they go to the workshop of ‘the Magician’, my husband Alejandro.  We consult on each element and then Alejandro figures out the most unobtrusive and skillful way to physically connect and enhance the separate elements into their new form.  Each of the pieces depends on our collaboration.
-Audrey Jakab