My work touches on that space between “place” and “self”—two concepts that on one hand are concrete and on the other hand are elusive. The reciprocal relationship between place and self forms the core of my inspiration. My work is both meditative and literal, taking on the unique feel of being in a landscape—that feeling of space, the sun warming your skin, memories that are awoken by the scents, the sound of a bee nearby, the blurry flash of a bird that just passes your gaze. My work is a meditation on space and balance—that distills the experience of place and memory into the visual poetry of shapes and marks.
Travel and nature are the inspiration for my work. I’m an avid adventurer and explorer of places off the beaten path—places/journeys that push the boundaries of self—long-distance trails, mountain summits, and far-away places. I have always examined the details of natural things, the texture of a rock, the color shades in a sunset, the way the wind feels on my skin. On the surface, I’m delighted by the beauty of it all and wish to capture that in my work, but there is also a primal quality to it that illuminates the connection between place and self, and how these concepts are linked to deeper parts of consciousness.
My process begins with words, a list of words, or a poetic sequence of words, thoughts, or ideas. My paintings are minimalist and expressive in their articulation, shifting between blocky shapes, and gestural movement and line. I spend a lot of time meditating on nature—it’s intimate complex textures balanced by wide open spaces, big skies and mountains. Both my sculptures and paintings capture this, with their complex detail balanced by solid color, big shapes, and open space. Among some of the words that influence my work are: distance, horizon, sun, moon/moonlight, butterfly, time, mountain, love, wind, silence, memories.
My work is a weaving of place and self, and an exploration of the interconnection between them. It is an exploration of consciousness, memory, and experience—our consciousness intertwined with place, landscapes, and nature.
PAINTINGS:
I work in two different series: “Expressions of Place” and “Objects of Memory”. Expressions of place is more gestural and loose—with marks and color auras that float amongst large black shapes, giving an almost landscape-like feel to the composition. Objects of Memory is more shaped based—with shapes and marks that interact to create a playful world, often taking on the feel of a still life or that of a hanging mobile.
SCULPTURES:
My sculptures have evolved from a process of arranging found objects and textures. Over the years, I’ve shifted from three dimensional sculptures to textured wall sculptures. They are meditative spaces with complex details, and always monochromatic to capture light and shadow on the surface. Place and process are important elements of my work, and the materials I use in my wall sculptures reflect this. These textural details are primarily formed using two sources of materials—waste products from my studio (from my painting process), and decayed plant life from the land on which I live.
MY DESERT IS BLUE AND GOLD, 4 ft by 4 ft, mixed media on canvas.