Artist Statement:

     I am an artist.  I am an art educator.  I treat each of these passions equally.   I use my skills and my expertise to serve and enlighten.   Art is my avenue to be involved in my community.  I see the world through the lens of art, and I believe in its power to instruct, humanize, and intervene.  When I study ancient or contemporary art making, I feel like I am connecting directly to another human being, across time.  I believe art can ignite dialogue, promote cultural tolerance, and move us closer to social justice. 

     While practicing art and teaching throughout my career, I have learned many skills and techniques borrowed from many mediums.  My preferred medium is collagraph printmaking.  I create a drawing, inlay the drawing with collage materials, make the materials water-tight, ink the materials, and then print the image in the printing press.  The materials leave an embossed, inked surface on the paper. 

I select my medium based on my narrative.  I am a storyteller in my art.   Some stories translate better with the qualities of different materials or processes.  I can be very eclectic in my approach.  I frequently incorporate fiber techniques and rely on collage in my work.  My printmaking is a two-dimensional medium with the images beginning as collages which are printed as collagraphs.  If the narrative idea is better clarified with three-dimensional materials, I frequently use them in collage/ assemblage.

     I have exhibited in many local, regional, and national juried shows.  I continue to further my education through workshops, teaching, cultural study, and museum visits.  I am always curious, hungry for knowledge, anxious to serve, needing to grow, and driven to advance.