About:
Grew up on Cape Cod
Lives & works in Raleigh, NC
Education:
1993 - 1995 MEd. Xavier University, Montessori Ed.
1979 - 1983 B.S. Skidmore College, Fine Art
1978 Boston College, Summer Animation Program
One of my earliest memories is making sculptures in the sand with plaster. I was very young and my neighbor was studying to be an art teacher. Having grown up on Cape Cod, back in the 70's, I spent most of my time in nature. The change of seasons were marked, in my mind, by the color of the sunlight, the hues of blue in the ocean, and the evolution of foliage. What drew me in from these experiences was a passion for color and light.
The act of painting is a viscerally fulfilling experience. It is a time when I can control, exaggerate and manipulate color. Working with mixed media, I'm able to experiment with materials and how they relate to each other. I enjoy using things out of context and combining textures with color to create an element of surprise. My studio is filled with a varying assortment of objects, papers and paint. This is the pallet I pull from to create my art.
Me, Cape Cod circa 1970
Why the mermaid?
Over two decades ago, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I had an overwhelming "need" to make extremely feminine art. The image of a mermaid came to me as the Goddess of the Sea. It was something I could related to having grown up by the ocean. So I began making them. Mermaid, mermen, merbabies began showing up in my work everywhere. In time, when I found out I was having a daughter it all made sense. To this day, the mermaid image, has been a symbol I feel connected to.