ABOUT THE ARTIST

Selected solo exhibitions:

Education:

Biographical Information:

I grew up in a small town in middle Tennessee. As a child, I was immersed in Nature, surrounded by animal friends and woods and green rolling hills. Over time, this connection to the natural world became part of my soul—and a part of my art.

My creativity as a child and teenager mainly took the form of creative writing, particularly poetry. I had some poetry published, went to writing workshops, was editor of the school paper, etc. Ultimately, writing was lacking something for me. Color? Form? Texture? In college, I started painting—awkwardly—and a little later I discovered printmaking; then still later, sculpture.

Meanwhile, I had to make a living. I loved exploring and delving into the depths of things, and that applied to people and their intricacies as well. So, I got a graduate degree in Clinical Psychology, moved to California, and subsequently worked as a psychotherapist for the next several decades. My love of art was always there, but by necessity, had to take a backseat. I was developing myself as a sculptor, with years of classes in the sculpture department at College of Marin in Kentfield, CA, and at the Crucible in Berkeley. I began showing and selling some of my sculpture over the past fifteen years.

I then began a slow movement into photography. I had always used a camera to record images and to take countless series of photos of kids and dogs (I was even given a show to exhibit my kids and dogs). My father, a physician, was also a very talented, creative amateur photographer, so I grew up around cameras, darkrooms, and photographic apparatus. It is only in the past few years that I have realized what a deep appreciation and fondness I have for photography as an art in and of itself.

I started photographing other subjects, especially the many varieties of flowers. Then, using a macro lens, I began delving deeper and deeper into the flowers. At first, there were close-ups of the parts, and then the parts disappeared entirely into abstract shapes and colors in imaginary environments. I also became fascinated with light and overlapping panes of colored light. This is where I am now, exploring these limitless imaginary environments, where there are beautiful colors and forms that look like watercolors. In truth, this is what I would paint, if I could paint, but I can’t—at least not like that. So, my camera paints it for me.

My current work is clearly influenced by abstract expressionism (Mark Rothko and others), and also by Georgia O’Keeffe (whom I have admired for years), and by modern sculpture. I also believe some of the inspiration comes from my deep connection to Nature and trust in a spiritual underpinning of Life.

Technically, I have been thrilled to move from 35mm photography to digital and then to digital SLR. There is so much freedom and quick feedback and flexibility. Over several years, I have been learning Photoshop in bits and pieces, but I have only used it minimally to work with the photos I have produced so far. I print my own work (24” x 36” and 18” x 24”), as well as my canvases on an Epson 7800 printer, using archival inks, Arches fine art papers and premium canvas. I use Canon cameras and equipment, especially my 20 D, and a couple of good MAC computers.

In the past ten years, my work as also been affected by large events in my life. My only daughter, Kristin, passed away in 2002. She left a young daughter, Kalli, whom her dad and I have shared the joy and challenge of co-parenting. I also developed lung cancer in 2005, and have been growing/evolving enormously as a human being through this, as well as Kristin’s death. Both of these events have been huge catalysts to my work. Through all of this, I have been supported by my wonderful husband, David, my family and friends, as well as an ever-deepening spiritual connection and daily meditation. I also have been blessed with having a wonderful, knowledgeable team of doctors at UCSF Med Center, who have provided me with state of the art medical care.

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