“I am inspired by the natural world, the sense of wonder and the infinite possibilities when dancing with one’s imagination. Trees, mountains, deserts and bodies of water intrigue me with their movement, shapes and ever-changing colors. "

Fifteen years ago, I accidentally rediscovered and reconnected with my love of collage. I was discussing “passion” with a close friend who challenged me to take my first art course in 40 years. And so began this risky, frightening glorious adventure.

For many years my art was inspired by the natural world, the sense of wonder, and the infinite possibilities when dancing with one’s imagination. Trees, mountains, deserts, and bodies of water intrigued me with their movement, shapes, and ever-changing colors. My camera captured images that I transferred onto my canvas. It is exciting to find what happens when I mix different materials and see how they respond to each other.

I integrated paint into my collages and combined original photographs, handmade paper, foreign newspapers, gloss medium, and found objects. Applying many layers, I blended traditional artist mediums with nontraditional materials to create a complex surface with an intriguing sense of depth. This process mixed classic art techniques with 21st-Century technology. It is exciting to find out what happens when I mix different materials and see how they respond to each other. The resulting compositions are both free and controlled, realistic, vibrant, and at other times more muted and abstract. Many times, it is the unplanned interactions and accidents that become the successful part of the collage.

Then, in 2020 our world turned upside down. My experience with Covid-19 and the lockdown reoriented my approach to life and art and I explored the world of abstraction more seriously. I began studying with Nicholas Wilton, a west coast artist, taking many online courses with him. He encourages following one’s instincts and taking risks. I am attracted to the freedom, the movement, and the limitless opportunities to rearrange reality through collage. And it is also terrifying, losing control and trusting intuition. It is a never-ending process of growth and change that continues to force taking chances, feeling uncomfortable and uncertain, making, and resolving mistakes, and learning to be an effective critique.