ARTIST STATEMENT

I am continually exploring my personal relationship to painting as it evolved from landscape-inspired images into abstraction. Working without an image facilitates a freedom of artistic expression that has taken me many years to achieve. I reduced my paintings to shapes, line, marks, and gestures, removing notions of “landscape.”

In some of the work, these elements coalesced into a central figure on the canvas which resides on a background or field. At times, the figures or forms may seem to suggest characteristics of personality: serious, playful, undisciplined. Exploiting this figure/ground relationship, I play with creating tensions between them, at times making one or the other more dominant. As a part of this exploration, I frequently engage the edges of the canvas.

I work intuitively with oil, cold wax, and pigment stick, building layers, often scraping or sanding them back. The physicality of oil paint lends itself to making textures. I am drawn to a varied surface: from thick to thin, smooth to rough, simple to complex. In my drawing practice, I use a variety of materials ranging from ink, crayon, gesso and collage. Here I experiment with composition and mark making. Some of these drawings have morphed into three-dimensional scrolled constructions.

My processes create a history in the paintings that conceals and reveals what is underneath, much in the way we hide and expose parts of ourselves to the outside world.

RESUME

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

2023: “Sunshine Days.” Arts Alliance of Georgia. Buckhead Library, Atlanta, GA. Juried.
“Small Changes.” Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur Public Library, GA. Juried.
“Abstract is Abstract.” HMVC Gallery, NYC. Online juried show.
“All Abstract.” 311 Gallery, Raleigh, NC. Juried.
“Three Visions in Abstraction.” Artisan Resource Center, Marietta, GA. Three-person show
2022: “Fall Juried Exhibition.” Tannery Row Artist Colony, Buford, GA.
“Infinite Possibilities.” Online exhibition of work created during “Perfectly Imperfect: discovering one’s own Visual Language.

2021: “Art and Healing in the Time of the Pandemic II;” Sirlin Studio; Online invitational exhibit.
Hambidge Center for Creative Arts Annual Auction, Atlanta, GA. By invitation.
“Working in the Studio: A Collective Voice,” Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL. Curated show.
“Control -Alt -Delete,” Hambidge Cross Pollination Artlab. Atlanta, GA. Juried show.

2020: Art and Healing in the Time of the Pandemic. Sirlin Studio. Online invitational exhibition.

2019: “Semi-annual Juried Show,” Tannery Row Artist Colony, Buford, GA.
“Perspectives:” WCAGA Group show. Different Trains Gallery @Cornerstone Bank; Decatur, GA. Juried.
“Pushed:” WCAGA Annual Member show. GSU Perimeter Campus; Clarkston, GA.

2018: “Art as Sanctuary:” WCAGA Annual Member Show. GSU PerimeterCampus; Clarkston, GA
2017: “Our Nature:” Women's Caucus for Art of Georgia Annual Member show. GSU Perimeter Campus; Clarkston, GA.
“Shared Visions:” Two-Person show. Blue Heron Nature Preserve; Atlanta,

2016: I.D.E.A. Gallery; Chamblee, GA. Group Show.
“Hidden Gem/Hidden Haven.:” Blue Heron Nature Preserve; Atlanta, GA. Juried.
“Georgia Artists Exhibit; A Juried exhibition.” Fulton County Arts; Abernathy Arts Center; Atlanta, GA.
I.D.E.A. Gallery; Chamblee, GA. One of 5 artists in inaugural curated show.
“Objects of Inspiration.” Central Congregational United Church of Christ. Atlanta, GA. Two- person show.
2015: “Mark:” WCAGA member show. Linden House Art Center; Athens, GA. Juried.
Annual Pin-Up Show. Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia; Atlanta, GA.
2014: “Layers:” WCAGA Annual Member Show. Georgia Perimeter College, Clarkston, GA.
“Metro Montage.” Marietta Cobb Museum; Marietta, GA. National juried show.
2013: “More:” WCAGA member show. Brenau University, Gainsville, GA. Juried
2012: “ArtCAN;” juried exhibition auction fundraiser for pancreatic cancer. Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA.
“Works on Paper Show:” Exhibition of the Fine Arts Atelier. Curator: Michael David. Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA.
2011: “The Irascible Muse” exhibition of the Fine Arts Atelier. Curator, Michael David. Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA.
2008: “Transformations; 2-person show.” Georgia Perimeter College; Atlanta, GA.
2007: “Looks Good on Paper; juried pin-up show.” Spruill Gallery; Dunwoody, GA.
2006: “Small Sketches & Drawings:” Annual Holiday show. Swan Coach House Gallery, Atlanta, GA. By invitation.
2004: “World of Art; South Cobb Arts Alliance; Mableton, GA. Juried show.
2003: “Home for the Holidays” Arts Council; Dawsonville, GA. National juried show.
2002: “4-Woman Show.” Feminist Women's Health Center; Atlanta, GA..

EDUCATION:
Fine Arts Workshop Atelier. Mentorship program with NY artist Michael David (2011-13)
BFA Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA,
AB Fine Art Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Georgia Committee for National Museum of Women in the Arts.
WCAGA: Women's Caucus for Art; Georgia Chapter; Executive committee, Treasurer.

HONORS:
2022: Wildacres Retreat Center, NC. Week long residency.
2013: The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts; Rabun, GA. 2 - week residency

PRESS:
“Emerging artists – finally; Inner need to create at last being satisfied” The Atlanta Journal Constitution; Wednesday, December 21, 2011.
“Hothouse Flowers; An unexpected group of emergent artists blooms at King Plow; Creative Loafing; December 1-7, 2011.