Artist Statement

In 2020 the world became aligned with my anti-social instincts. We were all forced to stay home and nothing had ever felt so right in my life.

I became hyper aware of the world around me and was driven to document it. The paintings that have emerged focus on the rut of 30 years of marriage, dogs in my personal space, and staring at screens, but they are far from mundane.

I feel tension along with comfort in these scenes expressed through warped perspectives and dimensional layers. The wonky perspectives allow me to play with reality, creating humor, anxiety and fantasy in these real life tales.

My mixed media paintings use modest materials, such as cardboard from Amazon orders, glitter, embroidery thread, and various clays to reflect the scale of the stories. I layer the materials into the oil painting base, building up the surface, making objects pop out, often extending beyond the edge of the panel. I draw the viewer's eye through exaggeration, such as an enlarged foot that is often seen in these narratives.

I also embellish bisque vases as companion pieces to select paintings and a way to further express emotional content.

I am inspired by artists such as Marisol and Faith Ringgold, who used folk art to simplify and subvert expectations and Grayson Perry for his humor. I also love the painterly interiors of Bonnard and Munch. What has emerged is a skewed yet loving, diary of my life.