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.

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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 currently 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.