I am an expressionist painter, nurtured and deeply inspired by the landscape of my first adopted home, California. Although I have traveled and lived in many places, none had ever resonated with me as deeply. After living in California for over two decades, I recently moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since my first visit here I have been awe-struck by the beauty of the far reaching vistas here and look forward to exploring these subjects in my new artworks.
After completing my BFA at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, I traveled on an extensive tour through Europe to experience first-hand the artwork I studied. Since then, my wide-ranging global travels and years living as an expatriate in Asia have exposed me to many different art forms and various unique uses of materials.
My love of bold, vibrant color, organic materials and contrasting textures is immediately evident when you experience my work.
My paintings are an expression of the sense of reverence that I experience in the presence of the coastlines, plains, hills and mountain ranges. I feel great strength in nature. However knowing that it is at the same time threatened and vulnerable, makes me very protective. This paradox is reflected in my artwork.
When painting in my studio I often work on several canvases at the same time. I build each piece intuitively, layering different media and colors. For added depth, I include acrylic mediums, strata of handmade paper, foil, and fabric. I take much pleasure in the tactile nature of my materials, repeatedly exploring different contrasts of texture as well as color. The reflective quality of the metallic foils allows me to capture light in my work. The varied materials and the highly textured nature of my paintings often pose unique creative challenges. As the final layers are applied, my artwork begins to organically morph towards its final form as if from within.
I continue to expand creatively through painting and photography.
"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way ⎯ things I had no words for. "
- Georgia O'keeffe
