My work is influenced by the sage steppe landscape and the towering basalt stones that surround the Yakima Valley where I live and work at my art. The vertical orientation of the stone reminds me of the ancient sculptures of female figures and evokes thought of both witness and guardian figures. They provide the inspiration for the gesture and form of the sculptures and much of the imagery in the paintings. I integrate these references with landscape and architectural imagery morphing between the structured shapes of architecture and the organic characteristics of the landscape where the stones “live.”
I love the process of making art. It is challenging, invigorating and evocative. Each medium stimulates different connections between my memory and my imagination. As I work, either with clay or paint, my effort is to create a meaningful form and my journey is to explore and express the experiences and observations of my life.
I believe both the natural and spiritual worlds provide us guides who help us navigate our passage on earth and create connections across the barriers that exist between ourselves and these very real and complex worlds. I think of the resulting paintings and sculptures as fellow travelers on my journey to understand myself and the world in which I live. They are the gifts of the journey.