ARTIST STATEMENT
Since childhood, I have been fascinated by water, especially growing up near Lake Michigan. This interest was reinforced after moving to the Arizona, where large bodies of water are not close by. I am also intrigued by aerial photographs especially images of farmland (grids comprised
of adjacent parcels of land). Both these areas of interest (water and grids) influence by creative work.
During graduate school, I created paintings and objects to be photographed. After graduating, my focus shifted to creating photographs as
source material for future paintings. My relationship to painting and photography is interconnected and continues to evolve. The natural world is the starting point for all my work (paintings and photographs). I am also inspired by music, dance, literature, and the work of many visual artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Diebenkorn, Franz Kline, Pat Steir, Olivia Parker, Imogen Cunningham, Elliott Porter, and John Pfahl.
Water. I focus on capturing and abstractly representing how water moves, the shapes it creates, layers of information revealed and/or obscured, shadows, and reflections of color and light. My photographs and paintings frequently include large gestural and linear marks, as well as objects
on the top and/or beneath the surface. At first glance these pieces appear to be abstract but when examined further, fish and other natural objects emerge. Water-focused photographs stand on their own and serve as source material for abstract paintings. My intention is to create artwork that contains multiple layers of interest and utilizing water as a visual metaphor - a reminder to be in the moment and that what we see at first glance may be more complex than we realize.
Grids. Another component of my visual language includes the use of grids as an organizing structure. This allows me to combine photographs or paintings with an emphasis upon movement across and within the images with an emphasis on what happens at the edges - the place where they connect.
Conversation. The camera allows me to capture images, resulting in stand-alone photographs or combinations of images within a grid. Before starting a painting, I examine my photographs, inspirations including natural objects, and unfinished paintings to create a departure point. The conversation between my photographs and paintings helps to inform and reveal pieces of work that represent my artistic point of view.