These pieces take as an initial inspiration, Byzantine and Medieval art. They mutate from there. My work has always combined my love of embroidery with my abiding interests in theater, history, and a good story. I also have a lifelong habit of collecting odd bits of stuff. I see an object on the ground and think, "I can make something out of that!" My studio is filled with jars, boxes, and drawers of collected objects.
In this series of works I have determined to put those collections to use. The circuit boards from dead electronics have become the Emerald City. Old keys have been incorporated into my musings about what it means to be secure. The mosaic frames are formed from broken dishes found in a stream. I have been letting my mind wander where it will go.

At an early age, I became enamored of byzantine icons and medieval manuscript paintings. My pieces have always reflected this influence. Over the years my work has developed a certain style, but the content has been rather eclectic. My goal for the past few years has been to create a more cohesive body of work. I have also wanted to revisit the artworks and art history that inspired me to follow this path.
Four of these works are a continuation an exploration of Madonna icons. They are styled after a traditional icon form known as the Virgin of the Sign, or Virgin Orans. This icon traditionally depicts the infant Jesus in a medallion over Mary's heart. I have used the form as a starting point. Looking at them as a group, I suppose they are musings on the different things that are at the heart of one's life at different times.
"Lula" represents another diversion on this path. I have embarked on a concurrent series of portraits of ancestors and deceased loved ones as icons of saints.

These pieces take as an initial inspiration, Byzantine and Medieval art. They mutate from there. My work has always combined my love of embroidery with my abiding interests in theater, history, and a good story. I also have a lifelong habit of collecting odd bits of stuff. I see an object on the ground and think, "I can make something out of that!" My studio is filled with jars, boxes, and drawers of collected objects.
In this series of works I have determined to put those collections to use. The circuit boards from dead electronics have become the Emerald City. Old keys have been incorporated into my musings about what it means to be secure. The mosaic frames are formed from broken dishes found in a stream. I have been letting my mind wander where it will go.