Artist's Statement

I've always loved to draw and create. There is nothing more fun than the uncharted journey that begins when I pick up my brushes in front of paper or canvas.

For years I thought of myself as a photographer and printmaker. I started cutting linoleum blocks to make thank you cards for my students when I taught second grade right out of college. Next, I worked at a blood center in the community relations department. They sent me to school to learn black and white darkroom techniques so that I could send photos to newspapers and illustrate our in house publications.

When I moved to Fredericksburg in 2000, I found a thriving arts community and got busy taking classes with local artists.  My recent work has grown out of my early love for the strong images associated with black and white photography and relief printmaking, and merged with a love of intense color and sense of experimentation in the use of all kinds of materials, including collage. 

I have had two very successful shows in the last year in September, 2009 and June/July, 2010.  The work that has grown out of my artist residency at LibertyTown Arts Workshop has emerged as whimsical, story-driven images developed through collage and acrylic processes.  They often picture birds, some found in nature, and others drawn from my imagination.  My purpose is to engage the viewer to make them smile or laugh, and stay to explore the surface and depth of the layers.

One thing I believe is that, if the artist pays attention during the creative process, even what at first may seem like a mistake can take the work in a wonderful direction.

Awards/Grants

July, 2010, Second Place, Bird in Word and Image, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Fredericksburg, Va for Seed Eater

May, 2010, Public Art Award, 800 block of Caroline St., Fredericksburg, Virginia, 40" x 56" panel, collage and acrylic, I Should Have Turned Left at Albuquerque

August and September, 2008, Honorable Mention, Scenes on Princess Anne, four color reduction block print, Uniquely Fredericksburg Show, Central Rappahannock Regional Library ; juror, Jennifer Foley, PhD., Paul Mellon Collection Educator, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA

July, 2008, Selected, three year position as artist-in-residence, LibertyTown Arts Workshop

May, 2008, Honorable Mention, One, relief print, Reclamation show, FCCA; juror, Barbara Southworth

April, 2008, Bill Hanson Memorial Award for the Arts given by the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, for Sundae Afternoon, entered in the Feast for the Eyes Show, LibertyTown Arts Workshop

September, 2007, Honorable Mention, Lilies at Chatham, relief print -- Uniquely Stafford, Porter Library; juror, Scott Ligon

July, 2007, Docents' Award, Laundry Day (in Paradise)--Summer Time show, FCCA

Honorable Mention, Flower Show--Colonial Beach Art Guild Annual Show, July, 2007

Honorable Mention, Bowl of Oranges, relief print, Libertytown Arts Workshop show, Food for Thought, June, 2007

Second Place, Flower Show—Printmaking and Digital / Computer Generated Imagery, Fredericksburg Fine Arts Exhibit, 2007

Honorable Mention, Downtown Fredericksburg—Drawing/Printmaking, Uniquely Fredericksburg, September 2006

http://artspoint.org/atrium/atrium_exhibit.asp?column_id=176&type_id=9

Merit Award, Resting Places—Mixed media, King George Art Guild Show, June, 2006

Honorable Mention, Ennui –—Mixed media, "Blues" an exhibit at Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, February 26^th-April 29th, 2006; juror, Betsy Glassie.

First Place, Peacock—Printmaking, Fredericksburg Fine Arts Exhibit, March 2005

Honorable mention, Father and Son—Printmaking, Fredericksburg Fine Arts Exhibit, March 2003

First place, Geranium Fountain on Caroline St.—Photography, Uniquely Fredericksburg 2002; juror, Tom Somma, Director, Mary Washington College Galleries

http://www.artspoint.org/atrium/atrium_exhibit.asp?type_id=9&column_id=87

Honorable Mention, Flutin' Around—Mixed media, Fredericksburg Fine Arts Exhibit, March 2001

Selected Shows/Exhibitions