United Forest

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Fleming grew up with an avid interest in art. Her childhood enthusiasm and love of art resulted in Fleming receiving art commissions while in high school. She pursued this field of study during her college years and by 1988 Fleming received a master of fine art degree from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Today her work is included in numerous private and public collections. The positive message evident in Fleming?s work can be interpreted as a personal response to the daily challenges she faces as a deaf person in a hearing world. The totemic architectural forms of “United Forest” convey connection and strength as well as expressions of reach and potential. Large egg forms constructed from clay are another method the artist uses to convey messages of hope and new life. Like most of Fleming?s work, “United Forest” is a site-specific installation. Dr. Harold F. Daum commissioned this work for the atrium located just inside the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art. As the artist was nearing completion of “United Forest,” the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States occurred. In response to the tragic event, she shaped the last two columns to be more architectural and carved them with vertical lines. These two structures stand in the center of the other columns. They portray a greater sense of geometry than the other more organic pillars.