Collages

Artist Statement

I have always been fascinated by strong light, especially in the early morning or late afternoons. Light can change the whole feel of a painting. The contrasting depth of colors created by strong light, particularly the graphic shapes and patterns of shadows, can create whole new relationships and connect various parts of a painting. Although I have painted in oils and acrylics for many years, I have used acrylics almost exclusively for more than 20 years because of their vibrancy and flexibility. I love strong colors and shapes, and I am constantly experimenting with them in my paintings. The subject matter of my paintings is almost incidental, ranging from landscapes, still lifes and people, generally captured in unusual light. 

I began creating collages as an exercise to help loosen up my painting techniques and to experiment with different ways of viewing familiar objects. I have discovered that the mind sees what it wants to see because of the way we are trained to view familiar objects in our daily environment.  As part of this, I have enjoyed playing with different textures, patterns and materials to create a new way of looking at familiar places, events, animals and other things. This has also influenced some of my more recent paintings.

 Biography

I have always been actively involved in visual arts. I began painting in grade school, served as President of the Art Club in high school, and earned her B.S. degree in Studio Art at Skidmore College. During graduate school I designed and produced fundraising brochures for a local college. After graduating, I worked in advertising for products like Cheerios and NyQuil, and later created advertising targeted toward the English-speaking community for companies and local merchants in Frankfurt, Germany.

After returning to the states, I served as President of the Rowayton Arts Center for three years and Chairman of the Annual St. Luke’s Art Show for several years. I have been awarded prizes in various local art competitions, participated in group shows and a one-woman show in Darien. Many of my paintings and collages are in private collections in the United States, Canada and Europe.