I was raised in a creative family with an eye for textiles, antiques and an appreciation for fine art. As a child, I was regularly fed on exhibits at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. I took art classes throughout high school and college, dabbling in drawing, pottery, printmaking, photography and weaving. After college, although I continued to engage in textile arts, my two-dimensional art remained dormant as I built a career, married and raised a family. My artistic passion burst out of dormancy and was propelled forward after a single workshop in the art of collage. My art has become a vehicle for allowing curiosity to unfold as I continue to take classes and workshops to build skills, engage my creative process and connect with other artists.
My collages incorporate what I adore about all kinds of textiles – pattern, color and texture. I use my own photography as well as images from newspapers, magazines and documents in my work. My pieces contain a variety of beautiful hand-made papers and fabrics as well as ephemera from travels. Found objects and natural treasures are tucked into my designs. Nothing visual is sacred and I enjoy thinking of interesting ways to use unusual two-dimensional objects. Each composition merges color and texture (often embellishing with paint, ink and printing) and incorporates elements of design.
I begin each piece with an image that calls to me. My love of travel and appreciation for nature often drive my choices. I then build the composition around it with images and papers that incorporate color. I love the process of adding textures and moving pieces around to create a meaningful and cohesive design. It is this process of creating that is my passion.