Winter Salon 2024

I grew up in Buffalo, NY, the daughter of a tailor and a seamstress. It seemed only natural that I should be drawn to textiles. I majored in art at the University of Buffalo and taught art briefly but, after moving to New York in the early sixties, I began to pursue my interest in fiber art. The seventies saw a resurgence in weaving and other textile arts, and I was a part of that renaissance. For over 20 years I exhibited my fiber constructions internationally, and completed numerous commissions for residential and corporate spaces. However, in 1988 a confluence of circumstances, interests and a new studio led to a dramatic shift in my work. I also assumed a second career as a librarian.

My longtime interest in the sculpture of naive and outsider artists led to my own experimentation with woodcarving. Using knives and basswood, I began to construct narrative vignettes that explored social and political themes, often incorporating autobiographical elements. As my work developed over time it became edgier and resonated on different levels. I have sought to address the hypocrisy, ambivalence, contradiction and hubris of events that touch our lives. The human condition continues to provide endless material for my commentary.