I make fabric collages based on the natural world incorporating my deep connection to the Atlantic Ocean, the land, sea, and skyscapes. My fabric paintings use personal narratives to tell the story of my journey of self-discovery. They represent my surroundings, current and past, imagined and actual. As a New Jersey native, the Jersey Shore regions of Keansburg to Seaside Heights, and now South Jersey, influence my work. After decades away, I returned to my home state choosing Cape May County because of the abundance of water and sky. Memories of childhood, the fluidity of water, and the complex duality of the world inform the work.

From the time I was a child, I succumb to deep relaxation only when my toes are buried in sand, with sun on face, and sounds of crashing waves surround me. I experience a letting go that escapes me everywhere else in the world. I fall into a deep and satisfying trance of connectedness where my being expands beyond the physical and seems to have no end. My imagination takes over and dreams become solid. I do not recall the first time this happened, but I do remember it happened over and over so that I came to expect and accept this occurrence. 

My process often begins with a photograph I have taken capturing the landscape. Then, I use an intuitive approach of adding and layering fabrics. To embellish fabric shapes I incorporate machine stitch and hand embroidery, to play with the materials’ color, texture, and pattern.

These embellishments create pieces that are both unique and interconnected, bringing the viewer into my world. Memories of a breeze on the cheek, sun in the eyes, splashing in the waves, are just some encounters that are interpreted and relived in my art.