Artist Statement
Through my paintings I explore texture, color and process. Texture is a significant component of my work because my goal is to create a surface, not just paint on one. I use acrylic and encaustic paint because they lend themselves to working thickly and quickly. With both of these mediums I am able to create highly textured, layered pieces.
My work is inspired by the forms and colors in nature. In my series “Meditations on Nature,†I create abstract pieces that reflect the mystery of the outdoor world. My process is an intuitive one, one in which I allow the painting to slowly reveal itself. While painting I tap into memories of my experiences in nature, and in the end the painting becomes its own entity.
My work is the antithesis of Trompe l’oeil: rather than trying to “trick†the viewer into believing the image is reality, I aim to intrigue the viewer by the mere beauty of paint. The images I create do not try to replicate reality; rather, they create a new world. I am interested in the way colors react with each other, and how in turn we react as viewers. Ultimately, it is my goal to uplift and engage the viewer, while giving them the opportunity to make their own meaning for the painting.
My current work continues to explore color, texture and process through mixed media. I am working on miniature pieces which utilize encaustic paint and transparencies of my original photography. My latest series entitled “Indian Street Art†focuses on photographs of murals, advertisements and temple sculptures which I took during my travels in India as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher in 2008-2009. In “Not So Square,†I explore the relationship of nature to the female figure. By placing “not so square†subject matter in “not so square†boxes, I play with the idea that women are placed into imperfect boxes. I plan to continue working with both encaustic and acrylic paint in small and large formats.