ARTIST STATEMENT
I begin painting for a show with two goals of which I have come to think of as Art and Heart. The Art portion is to reach beyond the comfort zone of previous work. The Heart portion is an internal exploration of thoughts, emotions and experiences that inspire me to begin layering the canvas.
Translating what I feel in the moment is what motivates my process. It is rewarding when my paintings are seen as beautiful but, that it not my initial goal. For me, it is more important to create paintings that connect with the people who come to see them. My desire is that my paintings communicate strength, be it soft and tranquil or powerful and impacting.
My work is non-representational using a variety of mixed media. In recent years, my paintings have become increasingly layered. When choosing materials and techniques for the paintings to be shown in Dallas, I added metal as a textural element along with hand stitching which I have used for several years. The integration of the softness of canvas with the more rigid nature of metal is a combination that is exciting to me. Using nails and stitching through metal adds a sculptural feel to the work.
The paintings to be shown at the Craighead - Green Gallery were created in two countries, my studios in Tulsa and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Finding the “heart part” of a body of work usually comes early in building the surfaces of the paintings. Concepts and titles come to me as I begin creating textures. I write thoughts on the wall or a table and wait to see what feels right as the paintings begin to develop.
I chose to title this body of work, EMBRACING THE RAIN. To me, finding positive ways to hold all the things that come to us is key to being happy. My hope is that those who attend this show will see something in the paintings that connects them to a common experience…something that inspires them to embrace the day-to-day things that are so deeply part of life.
The palettes of this work are varied…black and white, cream, red, pink, purple, orange. The textures are heavy and the feel of the work broad. Like life, there is a little of everything in the paintings of EMBRACING THE RAIN.
I am happy to present these paintings in Dallas at the Craighead – Green Gallery. I was born in Texas and showing my work there is a joy and a privilege.
