Artist’s Statement

Since my childhood flowers have entranced me.  Their vibrant colors and exquisite structures represent ephemeral beauty and strength.   Nature’s small organisms— insects, butterflies, shells, birds, feathers—this is what draws me, what I look for, what I delight in finding.  I find the watery world bewitching, from the Chesapeake Bay to the coral reefs of Indonesia and Belize.  The water is a lens, and the brilliant sunlight creates luminous colors.

I have an abiding fascination with materials and process, especially the transparencies of watercolors and dyes. I approach painting with a knowledge of color gained from years of dyeing fabrics; I rely on overlays of color, and my palette has intrinsic compatibility because my colors have subtle, shared ingredients.

Though I revel in color, I also delight in the power of black and white. My pen-and-ink drawings explore sinuous line and motion as I record and articulate sweeping curves.

I spent over three years in Indonesia, a tropical country replete with natural beauty, sensitive people, and rich traditions in art and music.  In addition to my time in Southeast Asia, I worked extensively in Eastern Europe with traditional artisans.  Through the years my work abroad immersed me in folklore and cross-cultural iconography. I learned to meditate, and I now study world religions and spiritual traditions.  In addition to Christianity, I have studied Taoism, the Kabbalah, Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, and Greco-Roman beliefs, to name a few. I delight in their shared wisdom and insights.

I hope that these collections celebrate my reverence for life and its mysteries, metaphors, and sheer beauty.  I seek meaning in nature’s small wonders.  It’s here I find perfection in this world.