Artist Statement

Wilderness has been a source of artistic inspiration, spiritual nourishment,
recreation, and for many years provided my livelihood. My family and I spent 17 summers harvesting sockeye salmon at a remote fish camp in western Alaska. Isolation and natural forces are familiar conditions that influence my work.

These images are meant to be visual reminders that chronicle a particular time and place. I am attempting to describe transient human connections to the natural environment.

My favorite part of the block printing process (besides pulling the first print!) is cutting the block. Using japanese U and V gouges and a dremel, I often rely on intuition, which is challenging and a bit risky since marks cannot be easily covered or erased.

The graphic nature of black and white block printing adds dramatic and emotional elements to my work. I am fascinated by the abstract qualities of light and weather on water.

 

Biography

I was raised in Marin County, California, several blocks from San Francisco Bay. This is where my interest in water and nature began. My parents and teachers encouraged me to draw. The art dept. at San Rafael High School was inspirational. I continued studying at CSU Chico where I was encouraged by renowned printmaker, Janet Turner.

In 1975, when I was 21, I drove the Alaska Highway with a friend and had my first wilderness experience. While working at the General Store on the Homer Spit I met my future husband. He was building a log cabin in isolated Sadie Cove (accessible by boat). The years we spent living and fishing in the wilderness changed my life. The isolation, storms, bears, and the cyclical nature of the sockeye salmon run was both exciting and inspirational.

During my time in Alaska I completed several art courses at the University of Alaska before moving to Portland in 1987. I finished my BA in Art at Marylhurst University in 1994, studying printmaking with Dennis Cunningham. I now have my own studio where I draw, print and operate a small picture framing business.

Because I have been fortunate to live in such beautiful places I've been compelled to make landscapes. Creating a detailed and layered space helps me convey a personal impression of a particular time and place. I use a variety of black and white textures to describe the power and drama of nature.