My goal in creating artwork is to capture the rhythms of life. Flocks of birds flying across the sky, wildflowers swaying in a field, a trickle of water in the sand or leaves scattered by a breeze; through a mix of observation and imagination, all become combinations of shapes that form patterns.

I’m attracted to the dynamics of these patterns and their ability to suggest movement or atmosphere. Also that a single shape can be so evocative, depending on the way it’s rendered and its placement in a composition. I look carefully at a subject to find the shapes that convey its essence. This simplicity resonates with me as a true expression of beauty and I delight in finding it in unassuming places.

Education

2015-2020 Atelier classical fine arts program, Sumpter Academy of Art, Portland, OR. Curriculum based on 19th century European atelier practices in combination with those of the first Italian academy founded in 1582 (Accademia degli Incamminati, Annibale Carracci.)

1982 Bachelor of Arts, Washington University in St. Louis, Art History major/Business minor

Exhibitions

tangible cadence | Soliloquy + The Writers’ Block w/multi-gallery ekphraestival | April, 2024 | Portland, OR

Montage Collective | September, 2023 | Lolo Pass gallery | Portland, OR

little things, big thoughts | August 2-30, 2023 | Playground Gallery | Portland, OR

EXPANSE | April 1-29, 2023 | Soliloquy fine arts | Portland, OR

Flower Power Redux | October 20-November 28, 2022 | Soliloquy fine arts | Portland, OR

Landscapes: inside & out | May 12-June 8, 2022 | Soliloquy fine arts | Portland, OR

Creative and professional background

As a weaver and textile designer, my artistic vocabulary consisted of the colors and textures in yarn. Shifting to fine art in two dimensional paintings and drawings simply transfers my creativity to different mediums, with a new world of images to explore.

1983-1990 Immersion in design philosophies of several prominent architectural and interior design firms, Chicago, IL, in collaboration with project teams to assemble material schemes and design custom interior finishes. Working in the interior design studio of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago was especially inspiring.

1990-1999  Weaving techniques mastered at Chicago’s Weaving Workshop become the basis for Soliloquy textiles, founded in 1990 to create Bauhaus inspired textiles for the design trade.  Commissions include material for Sara Lee Corporation, Windows on the World restaurant/World Trade Center, NYC, and numerous private residences throughout the U.S.

1999-2022  Soliloquy transitions from hand weaving to designing proprietary fabric collections produced by an international network of mills. Styles mix contemporary textures with reproductions of Wiener Werkstätte archive patterns, developed in collaboration with the Austrian mill that commissioned the original artists in the early 20th century. Working with clients in the design trade, the product line expands to include custom fabrics for residential and commercial installations including The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints temples in the U.S. and Europe; Ritz Carlton properties in Naples and Jupiter, FL; the historic Paradise Inn, Mt. Rainier National Park, WA; grand and lower ballrooms at Hyatt Hotel/Bellevue, WA.)  Projects feature woven constructions and large scale printed material.