Why I do what I do

My mission as an artist is to inspire people to appreciate and preserve nature.

That means to take care of the wilderness and the plants and animals that live there. We depend on them for our survival, both physically and spiritually. It also means finding our own personal connection to the sustaining energy of the wild. My art helps me to see and remember this. I hope it does the same for you.

Nature has been my lifelong muse and teacher. As a child, I freely roamed the chaparral covered hills and orchards of my Southern California home and keenly felt the presence of the divine in nature. At a very young age, I also began drawing and painting to express my love for the plants, trees, and birds. To this day, when I walk in nature, I feel like I’m home. And now with the ever increasing threats that face our world, and the wilderness that I love so well, I create with even greater purpose. Let’s work together to save our planet!  It starts with taking care of the wild lands right outside our back door.

Why I do what I do

My mission as an artist is to inspire people to appreciate and preserve nature.

That means to take care of the wilderness and the plants and animals that live there. We depend on them for our survival, both physically and spiritually. It also means finding our own personal connection to the sustaining energy of the wild. My art helps me to see and remember this. I hope it does the same for you.

Nature has been my lifelong muse and teacher. As a child, I freely roamed the chaparral covered hills and orchards of my Southern California home and keenly felt the presence of the divine in nature. At a very young age, I also began drawing and painting to express my love for the plants, trees, and birds. To this day, when I walk in nature, I feel like I’m home. And now with the ever increasing threats that face our world, and the wilderness that I love so well, I create with even greater purpose. Let’s work together to save our planet!  It starts with taking care of the wild lands right outside our back door.

How I do what I do

I work in a variety of media: printmaking, mixed media drawing, painting, and collage. In 2009, I developed a technique that I call “sgraffito mixed media” in which an oil pastel drawing is coated with India ink and etched to reveal the colors beneath. The resulting image combines the graphic quality of a print with the subtle color variations of a pastel painting. My explorations of this technique led to me to printmaking. I am especially drawn to the meticulous methods of relief printmaking as found in Japanese style of ukiyo-e prints. When I need more sponteneity, I work with monoprints and oil painting. I have an extensive collection of vintage postcards and papers that find their way into my mixed media collages too. I embrace imperfect variations in my art, a sign that the work of my hands is always present in every piece. I want a direct, intimate connection with both my subjects and my viewers, from my hands to yours.

How I do what I do

I work in a variety of media: printmaking, mixed media drawing, painting, and collage. In 2009, I developed a technique that I call “sgraffito mixed media” in which an oil pastel drawing is coated with India ink and etched to reveal the colors beneath. The resulting image combines the graphic quality of a print with the subtle color variations of a pastel painting. My explorations of this technique led to me to printmaking. I am especially drawn to the meticulous methods of relief printmaking as found in Japanese style of ukiyo-e prints. When I need more sponteneity, I work with monoprints and oil painting. I have an extensive collection of vintage postcards and papers that find their way into my mixed media collages too. I embrace imperfect variations in my art, a sign that the work of my hands is always present in every piece. I want a direct, intimate connection with both my subjects and my viewers, from my hands to yours.