As far back as I can remember, the desire to create has always been uncontrollable. I recall as a little girl spending hours with my friend Billy Webb, drawing my own paper dolls, creating their outfits and constructing convertibles for them out of shoes boxes. When alone in my room I would lose all sense of time, copying the pictures from a gilded page book of bible stories, which today I keep safely tucked away. After graduating from college where I studied under the renowned painter David Driscoll and sculptor Martin Puryear, I spent many years raising two great kids while working in structured jobs with absolutely no opportunity for creativity.  However, it was while listening to the book, “Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype”, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, that I was assured that one day art, even though jumpstarted later in life, would become my number one irrepressible priority.

 

My work revolves around bringing forth the beauty of all women and their ability to express thoughts and emotions through facial expressions. As I’m drawing the faces I’ve formulated the story that I would like to convey, but it always fascinates me to hear the viewers’ interpretations of what the subjects in my pieces are may be thinking and feeling. Not surprisingly, the responses vary in many ways.

 

I especially enjoy experimenting with and exploring different mediums, materials. Collage, assemblage, fiber arts and particularly drawing seem to be the most self-fulfilling.  I utilize jewel-toned colors to evoke somber moods even though the work's theme might be lighthearted. I treat the picture plane with great reverence, seeing three dimensions instead of two. I take great pleasure in the process of searching for items that can be repurposed and incorporated into my work. If unable to find what I’ve envisioned for a particular work I put it aside for a while, because I won’t stop until I find what I know to be the perfect component. For this reason, I’m always working on more than one piece at a time. ​

I find pure joy in the act of creating, regardless of the outcome. And I hope that in doing so my work will invoke a meaningful, personal emotion in the viewer.

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“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or eventouched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller