Most recent pieces to be displayed in the upcoming Towson MFA Thesis Show, Busy Work, on view in the Holtzman MFA Gallery, Towson University Center for the Arts, February 10- April 1, 2017.

Combining fine art and craft, and traditional masculine and feminine materials, Busy Work explores both formal and conceptual concerns around the idea of "women's work." The show is the culmination of MFA candidate Dierkes' multilayered fabric, paint, and resin paintings, sculptures and floor pieces.

Mixed media works based on surface pattern, American quilting traditions, and nail art. MFA program, Towson University

Series of works based on my favorite women in art
history, inspired in part, by Grace Hartigan's paintings of
historical women subjects. Turner matte Neo Color paint on panel, painted from black and white copies of the works in question- color is subjective.

In college, I began two series of painting which I have continually revisited, both based on photography. The first, my Polaroitraits, based on Polaroids.The second series was based on found, vintage photographs I have collected on my travels which I am now referring to as "Historical Fiction." I have always been a fan of the eponymous literature genre and like the books I love, these paintings have their roots in history. My process begins in the markets of Berlin, Moscow, Istanbul, New York- I scavenge through junk stores and flea markets finding old photographs which interest me. Then, the research begins- I estimate the time period of the photographs and hypothesize who might be the subject and then I begin layering images- symbols of folk art, politics, religion, nature, etc. Text also plays an important part in the works- I have always had an interest in language and I incorporate famous proverbs and sayings into the pieces. I find this series (which I began in 2005 and have recently revisited) to be of incredible inspiration for me- I have a seemingly endless amount of vintage photographs and inspiration books from which to create compositions.