What is art FOR? WHY paint? I think I paint what feeds my soul, what I need more of. I paint things that give me hope, like the child in “Forward!”, radiant on her grandfather's shoulders. And I paint things that are joyful, like beautiful koi, or parrots living free, or my cat, Singh, stretching in the sun.
I'm an artist first; a painter second. I'm a painter because it's the best way I've found to take my inner vision and bring it out into the world. Maybe there's a better way, that I haven't found yet... I don't know. I love many creative forms. Painting is simply the most effective soul-expressing medium I've found.
My work focuses on those subjects that most attract and concern me. I have always loved the natural world; I care deeply about how we as humans are meant to fit into it, and how we treat it-- and each other. I am interested in depicting the outward appearance of things, and how it reflects on their inward nature. And it is my hope to get better and better at that.
Now I want to paint more from my inner vision and instinct, to see to the heart of things, to make the invisible, visible. “Dream, Create” and “Lynx Spirit” are that kind of work; they are both about the natural world, the interconnectedness of things, and how we are part of that, too. Recently, I have been experimenting with metal leafing. Because it is a flattening, “surface” treatment, it creates tension with my more three-dimensional rendering style. It is challenging for me to incorporate it smoothly... but I really like when it works!
As a child, I taught myself to draw– drawing was a way to come closer to things, to understand them better. In 1984, I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a BA degree in Studio Art, emphasis in portraiture; while there, I studied with Jasper Rose and Jack Zajac. After my senior show and graduation, I had a second solo show; my work was exhibited at the Dancing Man Gallery, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the Capitola Art and Wine Festival, among others.
Then my life took some detours. I got married, had a son, moved, divorced… and suddenly found that survival and my son’s welfare were my only priorities. Inspired by necessity, I reinvented myself as a decorative painter and found work painting murals and faux finishes; many of the techniques I developed in my mural- and faux-work continue to influence my paintings today. I also hand-painted tiles and fabrics. Between projects, I cleaned houses.
As time passed (and my son grew older), I began again to paint in pastel and oils. In 2012, my then-husband and I moved to Alexandria, VA, and I became a member of the Alexandria Art League. While in Virginia, I had several pieces exhibited, sold some work, and received an award for one of my pastels.
Then in 2015, we moved again-- this time, to Portland, OR. Recently, I have enjoyed taking classes with Kitty Wallis, an internationally-known artist whose work I have long admired. I hope to continue actively painting and exhibiting again, and to be able to finally devote more time to my art.
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