Artist Bio
I am a self taught artist. I began my career sixteen years ago using hand dyed fabric to make large abstract wall hangings and framed art. I was fascinated by the chemical process of dyeing – the way fiber molecules and dye molecules exchange places when soda ash is introduced, thus fusing the color into the fabric. Folding and clamping results in patterns and visual texture. Color can be manipulated and made more complex by overdyeing. My artwork hangs in homes in Sun Valley, Seattle, San Francisco, Italy, and Turkey. After completing a 45 piece series that required I sew over 350,000 inches, I retired my dyes and fabric. I began making non-objective art using oil paint and cold wax. I love complex color, line and mark-making, as well as texture – both visual and physical.
Artist Statement
I am currently working on a series of eight 36″ x 36″ wood panels. I begin each panel with various marks using graphite, ink, tools of various sorts, and paint. I frequently use homemade tools – sticks, feathers, pinecones, as well as scrapers and brushes. I sometimes start with opposite colors – if I want a cool painting, I’ll start with warm colors. Each panel has five or six layers, often more. Color and pattern are laid down only to be painted over again. I then scrape, sand, and dig into the layers revealing the history of the painting. Through addition and subtraction, the painting gradually matures. Often unexpected things appear. It is the serendipitous nature of this process that fires my imagination.