About

My art

I use acrylic paint, drafting tools and pencil marks to build a representation of our human need to control the natural state of chaos.

I begin with broad loose marks and the spilling of acrylic ink.  I let my mind and materials run wild.  As I stand back, the shapes and spaces created from these initial experimental gestures begin to speak to me.  Using a straight edge, I then layer translucent and opaque rectangles of paint.  Shapes and spaces form.  The darker colors establish structure.  The lighter colors create depth.  Each layer adds its unique beauty and complexity.

The translucent hollyhock stems from an intense time two years ago. I was undergoing breast cancer treatment, and was spending the majority of my time on our beautiful back deck couch when a friend came to visit. She pointed out a line of hollyhocks - some with lacy white and pink blooms, some on the verge of blooming - that were growing along the vegetable bed in our garden. I loved their simplicity. Although my energy for painting was limited, I figured: I could draw that. Since that first sketch, I have drawn the hollyhock over and over. I remain fascinated by its strength and elegance: by its ability to grow tall and to bloom and to withstand so much.

I sometimes feel like my mind is a mess of thoughts, feelings and ideas.  I’m often trying to look at them rather than be consumed by them.  So I splash that mental chaos onto the canvas and I build upon it, allowing each mark to guide me to the next.  If you come up close, you might notice how the newer layers cover parts of the past, while sharp slivers of intense memory insist on peeking through. As you back away, the conflict softens and morphs. The longer we look, the more surprises begin to emerge. Who knew pink would do that over green? Why does that shape feel so familiar?  

With a love of color and inspired by the paintings of Brenda Goodman, Amy Sillman, Joan Mitchell and other fabulous women painters, I invite structures and layers to build a rich expression of life.

grateful

I am so thankful that you are here, reading this and taking a look at my art. I am so thankful for the time I am blessed to spend exploring abstract art. I am so thankful for friends and family that support me whole heartedly. I’m thankful to create in my home in the City of Santa Rosa in beautiful Sonoma County, California city of Santa Rosa.