A California native, San Francisco is my chosen home. I am primarily a self-studied artist, studying the work of the ancient and modern masters first hand in major museums nationally and in Europe whenever possible, earning an undergraduate art degree only later in life.
I choose to focus on the human figure because of the figure’s ability to evoke feelings in the viewer, just as we relate to the emotional signals of other humans. My work is influenced by my love of history, literature, music, dreams and myth but also explores political and feminist themes as well as philosophical concepts. I frequently conceptualize paintings as one would a dress a stage tableau, capturing a moment in time. Much of my work reflects my sense of humor, which can be…a bit dark at times.
Oil on panel is my favored 2D medium, I find the organic and traditional method of layers of pigment suspended in thickened medium resonates with me more than any other method of painting because of the luminosity it conveys. Some 2D work incorporates low relief sculpture and gold leafing techniques as well.
My wall-hung and freestanding 3D pieces in ceramic are figurative and narrative as well. Instead of traditional glazes, I prefer the earthiness of the black clay I use to take priority, tinting with oil colors and gilding after firing.
There is a lot of symbolism in my work, used as a kind of visual abbreviation of language in narrative work. Many pieces begin as concepts, then noodling out how best to tell a story, explore that concept, or emotional experience in a visual way. My hope is that my work speaks to the viewer with this visual language, and that the work might not merely reveal my own intended meaning, but initiate an imagined story or feelings independently within each person who views them, creating a myriad of possible meanings for each work.
