Statement

What do Q-tips, straws, and credit cards have to do with my art?   Though I’ve always been a creative person, never a visual artist, 10 years ago I happened upon a painting created with alcohol ink and was captivated by the vibrancy and luminous expression of color.  I couldn’t get the unique beauty out of my mind and became compelled to pursue and express using this medium; my life as a painter was launched.  

My practice centers on a co-creative process of discovery.  Done without brushes, ink is dropped on impervious surfaces (yupo paper or ceramic tile), then slowly moved by tilting, scraping and blending the ink with the kinds of tools mentioned above.  As the inks flow and bloom a myriad of colors and shades emerge. The process of coaxing the ink through timing and choice of tools allows the painting to emerge.  Alcohol inks are blends of basic colors.  As such when applied and allowed to mingle an array of “found colors” materializes.  For example the painting Yellow Bloom is composed of only yellow and black ink but subtle greens, orange and peach emerged through my process.  My paintings typically use 2 or 3 colors of ink with all other colors resulting from the interaction of the inks.  Blended colors often create neutrals that occur more naturally in the “real world” thus lending unity to the paintings.  See Full Moon.  Mixing inks with a coffee stirrer results in a graded blend of color whereas application of a contrasting ink that then meets a dryer area results in the emergence of lines.  A ridge becomes a horizon ready for more ink to define details and features.  Reflection Lake is an example of this process.   Additional alcohol or more ink revives the liquidity allowing me to further refine the design, add texture, and create embellishments.  

Inspired by the natural world of the mountains, waters, and skies of the Hudson Valley my work creates a sense of joy, wonder, and connection to nature.  This appreciation helps tie us to our desire to respect and protect the environments around us.  “Nature is painting for us day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” - John Ruskin

Engaging with my audience delivers another level of discovery.  What I might see as a series of mountains someone else sees as a beach, and yet another person sees an otherworldly scene.  Listening to people reminisce about the sand flats of Utah or mountains of Colorado where they once lived is delightful.  My art, through these connections, becomes whatever someone sees in it.  Photographing the images allows me to reproduce my designs in a variety of ways from giclée prints to scarves thus allowing me to share my art with others. Shouldn’t everyone have access to art they find beautiful and meaningful?

My art career has grown steadily since I began in 2014. I have chosen to devote myself to art, to learn more techniques, and to enhance my understanding of color, form, and presentation.  There is much to discover and to share with others through my found sense of artistic expression.  I feel as vibrant as alcohol ink and alive with the wonder of the creative process!