About

I am a fiber artist and printmaker.  I make art because I am happiest when I am creating.  It expands and exercises my mind.  I love working with needles and scissors in particular because all things, including people, need to be destroyed before they can be made into something new.  A lot of my work contains pieces of cloth or beads that were recycled from old garments.  

A piece never ends up as I originally imagined.  I have to keep and open mind, and be willing to cut something off or try different colors and textures.  I start with a basic sketch and layer fabric and fibers until I am happy with the result.  I like to use contrasting and grading colors with a dark neutral such as brown or black to give the piece solidity.  Color is the most important element as it is what the eye sees first.  Texture is like a little bonus for taking a closer look.

 My current fiber work reflects my fascination with insects and plants.  They are like little pieces of art in their natural state.  I have chosen to interpret them through fabric because it is a comfortable material for most people, and it turns something repulsive or ordinary into something approachable.  The sequins and beads are reminders that there is beauty in even mundane things, like the iridescent flash of green on a housefly.  I want to share the beauty I find in the world around me with others.

 I have a very "cut and paste" approach to my fiber art, and printmaking is an extension of that mindset.  I enjoy the collograph process especially because it involves layering textures.  I use cardboard, fabric, paper, and hot glue to create a plate.  I cover the whole thing with several layers of gesso, ink it up and run it through the press.  I usually hand color the prints after they are printed.  I like to use several different plates in one piece, cutting layering the different prints to create a dimensional whole.