As a lifelong artist, I have worked in many different styles and mediums, drawing inspiration from found objects, the splendor of the natural world as well as my familial heritage. Growing up in a family of environmental conservationists and artists drew a connection between the land on which we lived, and artistic expression. The interconnectivity between nature and art is a theme that permeates my work.
I began my career painting with oils, and trained professionally at the Art Institute of Chicago, using the medium to emphasize my love for color and patterns in a two-dimensional plane. I transitioned from the more abstract to the representational, drawing on my heritage to paint cherished items originating from generations of my family who came before me.
Recently, my work has incorporated mosaics and collage—media that allow me to exercise my commitment to sustainability. I use reclaimed, recycled, or salvaged materials, ranging from bathroom tiles, to old jewelry, to broken dinner plates. These forms reflect my initial fascination with color and pattern, and spill over as three-dimensional creations that can be used for utilitarian and aesthetic purposes alike. The flexibility of the media is also an advantage for me, allowing for highly organized geometric designs, colorful abstractions, and realistic representations that range from the literal to the fanciful.
No matter what media I use, my art mirrors my relationship to the Pacific Northwest. I have been living in Washington for thirty years and am deeply rooted here. Currently, I divide my time between my studio in Seattle’s Magnuson Park, my piano studio and a salmon restoration and reforestation project on the Olympic Peninsula. The work we do to plant trees and heal streams on the Peninsula inspires my art, as I incorporate the colors, shapes and natural lines of the outdoors. When I’m not working in my studios or on the peninsula, I foster service puppies and teach piano to students of all ages.