Artist Statement

On the voyage through my life, there is a lot to unpack. The suitcase is full with tales that have created a complex individual. From silly to serious, I have stories to tell. 

Oddly, for me, the troubled ones are easier to communicate through speech.  It is in the brief respite - the span between seven to fourteen days on a tropical island - is where I struggle. The disquieting memories are pleasantly silenced when I am surrounded by turquoise water.  In that moment, the turmoil is washed away and I am left only with the splendor of Mother Nature.  I look at the horizon line and ask myself if I am worthy of such beauty and calm.

As I watch the sun melt the colors of the sea, bringing a new day to those halfway across the world, Matisse-like shapes dance atop the water. Hibiscus close and say goodnight. Oh, to be embraced by hues of green. Such lucky flowers. Goats on a basketball court make me laugh. Palm trees crisscross above my head against a cerulean backdrop. Roosters strut by with envious, bold feathers.  I breathe deeply and think, this must sustain me until I am here again.

Printmaking, with a gelatin printing plate, allows me to intuitively express the joy I feel on those islands.  A rhythm starts as I create my own archipelago in a series of prints.  Paint left behind on the plate is intentional.  By building layers of texture, a chain of scattered memories emerge. 

This spontaneous and instantly gratifying form of art gives me confidence.  It is where I am the brave warrior of my story. The physicality of printmaking allows me to work through the uncomfortable recollections, then kindly grants me time to say, it’s okay to feel the joy.