I create collagraph paintings full of animated organic forms. Living and working in the Pacific Northwest, I am inspired by the nature that surrounds me—twisting magnolia branches, exploding hydrangea blossoms, decaying maple leaves, ribbons of kelp—they all inform the imagery in my work. I reinterpret their shapes, repeating and overlapping them to construct interrelated communities of forms and movements that reflect the dynamics of this region.

The process of creating my mixed media paintings is both intuitive and responsive. I begin by cutting and gluing a variety of cardboard shapes, which I print onto rag paper to create a compositional foundation. From there, I develop each piece through layered applications of gouache, acrylic and colored pencil, allowing the forms to emerge and connect organically. Each element contributes to a larger cohesive movement and rhythm, where the negative and positive spaces activate one another, creating a sense of balance.

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​I teach art at Forest Ridge School in Bellevue, as well as adult classes in my home studio, The Orange Door Studio in West Seattle. I have been a teaching artist in the Seattle area for decades and love the balance between teaching and my solo studio work. I find that each role continually informs and enriches the other.