Artist Statement
Landscape
I see paintings all around me in the landscape where I live – walking to my children’s school, driving to the store, looking out the window, contemplating the bare branches of winter or a summer bouquet. My local environment of the Pacific Northwest is the mirror through which I see something deeper – a recognition of the shapes, colors, and light that connects me to myself, to nature, and to the living force of creativity that is available to us all. There are memories, images, and stories that live deep within us, that can be stirred by looking closely at the world and being open to the moment. I trust that feeling of recognition, my “North Star,” and use it to simplify and align my artistic choices to the essence of what I see and feel.
I often start with a quick drawing in my sketchbook, writing color notes in the margins, and use that as a guide to start a painting. I paint from observation, but also from memory and notes, especially at times when the thing I saw was momentary and shifted before my eyes. I see colors and shapes interacting together like one hears a musical chord or contemplates verses in a poem. The cycle of the seasons, moving from the vibrant energy of spring to the quiet stillness of winter, provides a spiral path on which to walk, and a promise that what I might miss in one season can be found in the next. This promise, along with my daily drawing and journaling, keeps creative momentum alive as I balance my painting practice with a full family life.
Still Life (Archive)
Using subjects such as flowers, lace, paper, wood, books, and windows, I weave perception and invention together to create images that feel both keenly observed and intentionally constructed. A search for beauty, order, and balance is ever present in the way I encounter life, intuitively guiding my selection of objects and color combinations. Inspiration comes from art history, geometry, literature, memory, nature, and found objects, resulting in a mixture of contemporary and classical motifs. Recurring elements include circles, piles, and boxes, with an inclination towards symmetry in the overall design. Beginning with red, blue, yellow, and white, I mix my palette paying close attention to how specific color combinations effect mood, space, and light. The resulting paintings are often described as contemplative visual spaces where the commonplace is imbued with hints of metaphor and mysticism.