An abstract work
takes our imagination into a realm of emotion that helps us see beyond the surface
Painting is more than just a creative outlet. For me, it's a necessity; a form of meditation and my ultimate challenge. While some may find the idea of collaborating with paint unusual, I see my oil paintings as a dialogue with the medium itself.
Oil paint is dynamic and alive. The process of mixing colors, softening or defining edges, layering, and creating texture unfolds like a conversation, each step suggesting the next. This dialogue begins with the first marks made on the canvas. I allow the paint to guide me, I uncover what it needs to tell its story through color and form. When this dialogue reaches its natural conclusion, the painting is complete.
In the first twenty years of my creative journey, I balanced my passion for art with parenting. Photography was my first medium but the darkroom became impractical with small children. This constraint had its silver lining because it led me to a natural exploration of oil paint. I created a dedicated painting space, which allowed me to develop the studio practice I cherish today.
Artmaking is my grounding and meditative escape. Hours seem to fly by, uninterrupted. My devotion to Pilates keeps me fit for long studio sessions, while walks in nature, especially at Shelburne Farms near my Vermont home, continually nourish my creativity. Exploring galleries and museums worldwide provides invaluable insights, often shaping our family trips around captivating and inspiring exhibitions.
IN PROCESS
Over the past three decades, I've enjoyed the challenge of re-organizing the chaos of the natural world through varioius mediums. I primarily use oil paint to convey vibrant colors and textures on stretched canvas or linen. The preparation for a painting can range from spontaneous to detailed, involving sketches in oil, gouache, watercolor, or charcoal. Often, a simple gesture with brush and color is enough to initiate a large painting. Painting from life has enriched my visual vocabulary, enabling me to create from memory without a reference. At other times, my sketchbooks serve as a wellspring of inspiration.
Exhibition LIST
2024 Anderson Ranch Solo Show, “The Inconvenience of Reality”, Snowmass, Colorado
2024 Create PC, Park City, Utah
2022-2023 The Prospector Gallery, Park City, Utah
2021 Create PC, Park City, Utah
2014 - 2023 Starry Night, Ferrisburgh, Vermont
2013 Wynwood Warehouse Project, Miami, Florida
2012 Wynwood Warehouse Project, Miami, Florida
2012 Gallery 266, Burlington, Vermont
2011 Juried exhibit National Academy of Fine Arts in New York
2010 National Academy School of Fine Arts, New York, NY, 2010
2010 The Art of Lake Champlain, Exhibition for Book Launch, Shelburne, VT
2008 Artist in Residence Gallery, Coconut Grove, Florida
2007 Gallery@Opaline, Burlington, Vermont
2003-2005 Gallery Seven North, Ferrisburgh, Vermont
2003 Arts Alive, Burlington, Vermont
2003 Gallery Seven North, Ferrisburgh, Vermont
2003 "Recent Paintings of Belgium and France, " Green Mountain Fine Art, Stowe, Vermont
2002 Green Mountain Fine Art, Stowe, Vermont
2002 "Impressions of New England,” Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont
2000 Ferrisburgh Artisan's Guild, Ferrisburgh, Vermont
BIOGRAPHY
Publications:
The Art of Lake Champlain, selected for cover art
Awards:
1983, Vermont Council on the Arts
grant recipient
Education:
University of California B.A. 1978
State University of New York, Albany New York M.L.S 1984
Art Students League, New York, New York 2009
National Academy of Fine Art, New York, New York 2010-2011
TEACHING
I teach individuals and groups both art history and technique of painting. I especially love placing students' work within an art historical context, drawing on what has come before us. "Please help me loosen up" is the request I most often receive when asked to teach.
