artist's statement

My preparation in art began with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Painting, a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum which was resulted in an Art Department thesis show of 30 original paintings on the subject of water. I have also attended numerous art workshops including two 2007 Encaustic Painting courses in New York. In March 2008, I will be taking a Painting course in Florence, Italy.

My formative years, which were spent both in Europe and eastern coast of the US, were marked by a sincere personal interest in the natural world. Frequent trips to explore the great outdoors and watery landscapes deeply inspired me and continued to influence my work into adulthood. Travel continues to be an integral part of my process as I communicate memories of the physical world, as well as emotional and physical responses to one's unique experience of a place.

Body prints I created in 2007 interpret memories held within the body, as well as the body in motion. Body printing is well known within art history, but my unique focus has been to show movement with the body. Using a digital camera, I took digital images of my body prints and then transferred and embedded them into new encaustic paintings - fusing translucent layers of luminous encaustic surfaces allows me to create visual depth and density in my work.

The seascapes and landscapes are created using encaustic and water-based oil paints, and are occasionally embedded with gold and silver leaf and covered with iridescent oil paints. A deep sense of awe and reverence for the beauty and power of nature is expressed in all of my water and land paintings. These natural landscapes, along with the body print paintings, all reflect a desire to show constant movement and natural rhythm.

Viewers will also notice the influence of many years spent practicing Insight Meditation Practice, through which I have embraced an All is One philosophy where everything is in a state of constant motion and change. Whether I am using the motif of the human body, bodies of water, landscapes, abstractions, or a combination of all, my intention is to communicate the language of spirit and these universal ideas.