“Merging an idea with the limitation of materials releases a kind of magic for me.”
About Me
I’ve always been a story sponge. Books, movies, news, friends, or stepping into a convenience store to pick up a pint of milk… If there’s a story to be had, I’m all ears. My husband is astonished at how frequently strangers are willing to spill details of their lives, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. We are made of stories, and they must be told.
Sharing our experiences breaks open the mystery. Reality (an unreliable narrator) can be interpreted a thousand different ways. I can’t help seeing this through an art lens.
As a kid I watched my parents turn our suburban home into a DIY paradise. A cabin boat was being built in the basement. A working iron forge and welding equipment lived in the garage next to the homemade camper that slept six. Eyeing a new piece of clothing, my sisters and I were told, “You could make one much nicer than that!”
So, I learned to make the things I wanted to see in the world.
Later, when I was introduced to a rather dry, conceptual approach to art-making in school, it seemed incomplete. Today, a deep connection to process underlies my love of open-ended narrative imagery. Merging an idea with the limitation of materials releases a kind of magic for me.
Examples of My Work
Fun Facts
- Daily Life – My husband and I are renovating a 145 year old farm house
- Travel – I’ve visited 40 of the 63 National Parks in the US
- Favorite classic film double feature – Babette’s Feast & Wayne’s World
- Community – Years ago I cofounded a town festival that still attracts thousands
- Vocation – Dog Butler, currently between assignments
More About Me
What other non-artist jobs have you had?
Dental Secretary. Professional Gardener. Summer Camp Director.
What do you wish you could tell your younger artist self?
If your mind starts closing, jam a stick in it!
Which artist (famous or not) has influenced you the most and how?
Andrew Wyeth. I admire how his bucolic landscapes never deny a certain darkness. Even in his paintings of breezy summer days, the heartache is there too.