“Protector of Small Moments," - 16"x20", fabric, paper, thread, beads, mirror, and acrylic paint.

"Protector of Small Moments" explores the multitude of fleeting experiences and encounters that can come and go in the blink of an eye, but still invariably shape the path of our lives. These moments often go unnoticed and may seem unimportant but, woven together, they form rich stories about who we are.

This specific piece incorporates many elements, including botanical images, text fragments, and mirror tiles. While most of the collage elements are fragmented enough to be nearly unrecognizable, a few (the phrases “speak out” and “creative soul”, the pink flowers in bloom, and the small black and white image of a young girl) were left intact with intention. In creation, these story elements were added to reference creativity, growth, personal voice, and childhood dreams. However, in exhibition, I recognize that viewers may assign a completely different narrative to these elements – a hoped-for evolution that is welcomed and encouraged. The mirrors invite viewers to engage in conversation with the portrait, acknowledging the way we become part of other people’s stories… and the way other people’s stories can influence our own individual path.

14" x 14". Created 2024. Fabric, paper, thread, beads, buttons on cradled wood panel.

11" x 14". 2023. Fabric, paper, thread, beads, paint, ink on cradled wood board.

14 x 14". 2024. Fabric, paper, ink, thread, beads, shark's teeth.

18" x 24". 2024. Fabric, paper, ink, thread, beads, objects.

"Beard of Joy," 16x20", acrylic with fiber, thread, beads, and mirrors

"Forward," 9x11", fabric, paper, thread, beads, and trinkets on board

"Still Standing," 16x20", acrylic, thread and beads on fabric

Did you know that there are ginkgo trees that survived Hiroshima? The shapes of ginkgo leaves echo through this piece and tell a story of resilience and survival.

"Hibiscus", 8x8", acrylic and thread on canvas

"Proud," 12x16", acrylic, inks and embroidery on canvas

"Queen," 12x16", acrylic, paper, and thread on canvas

"Peace," 12x16", acrylic, ink, and hand embroidery on canvas

Here, I began to lean harder into mixed media applications. This work incorporated acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and alcohol ink along with thread. Stencils and other non-traditional mark-making implements (i.e. bubble wrap) were used to create visual texture in the background. It was in this period of work that I began experimenting with pulling elements of the background into the foreground, and vice versa. I also engaged more with the patterns that echoed through the piece in different ways. The stencil pattern in the background was repeated in the embroidery in the foreground. Matching thread color with the underlying paint color creates something akin to an embossing effect.

"Joy," 8x10", acrylic with hand embroidery on canvas

I became very interested in the idea of embroidering directly on to the canvas and creating a cohesive composition where the variety of textures could exist in harmony. In this early phase of adding embroidery to my paintings, the use of embroidery was very literal and representative (to create flowers).

"Puppy & Poppy," 8x8', acrylic and thread on canvas

"Squirrel in my Hydrangeas," 16x20", acrylic and thread on linen

"Hummingbird", 10x8", acrylic and thread on canvas

"Escapes" - 30"x40", acrylic

Part of my Baltimore streetscapes series, "Escapes" features a back alley in Charles Village. When I am driving, especially in the city, I often take imperfect snapshots from the car window without looking (or, hand my phone to one of my children to snap photos). When I get home, I sort through the photos to see what was captured. Often, the photos are dynamic, off-kilter, and imperfect in a way that conveys my experience of the true vibrancy of the city. The best of these photos become references for paintings.

"Portal (Jarrettsville Road & Rigdon Road)" - 14" x 11", acrylic on canvas, 2023

"Bridge No. 3" - acrylic on canvas, 8"x8", 2022

"The Old Barn" - 30" x 40", acrylic on canvas, 2023

"Bridge No. 1" - 8 x 8", acrylic on canvas, 2022

"The Gatherings" - 18" x 30", acrylic on canvas, 2024

"Beneath Bromo," 12x16", acrylic

"Unwinnable Pikachu", 12x16", acrylic

"Forsythia" (diptych), 20x20", acrylic

"Under Mt. Royal," 10x8", acrylic on board

"Quiet Strength" - 24" x 30", acrylic on canvas, 2022

40" x 30". 2022. Acrylic on canvas.

"Afternoon Snack" - 24"x30", acrylic on canvas, 2022

"Star Gazer" - acrylic on canvas, 8" x 8", 2023

"Frisky" - 18" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2022

"Who's a Good Boy?" - 10x12", acrylic on canvas, 2022

Part of my "Squirrel Stories," Pervical is an 8x8" acrylic on canvas. (He does not like to be called Percy.)

"Majestic," 12x16", acrylic

"The Colonel," 9x12", fabric, paper, fiber, beads, thread and trinkets on board

"Pileated", 9x11", fiber, paper, thread, beads on board

"Respite", 12"x16", acrylic on canvas

In this stage of my work, I was focused on staying out of the details and relying on limited, expressive brushstrokes to create mood and personality. This particular piece was created with under 350 brushstrokes.

"Untitled", 16x20", posca paint pen on canvas

Working with only Posca pens (acrylic paint pens) created inherent limitations on the types of mark-making that could be used. Blending was not possible, as the pigment from the pens is opaque. The result was more of a collage-like process, requiring a high level of awareness of which layers needed to remain visible on top to create the necessary contours to make a believable representation of a face. In hindsight, I can see how this phase of my work was a precursor to the collage work I began a few years later.

"Joy," 8x10", acrylic with hand embroidery on canvas

I became very interested in the idea of embroidering directly on to the canvas and creating a cohesive composition where the variety of textures could exist in harmony. In this early phase of adding embroidery to my paintings, the use of embroidery was very literal and representative (to create flowers).

"Peace," 12x16", acrylic, ink, and hand embroidery on canvas

Here, I began to lean harder into mixed media applications. This work incorporated acrylic paint, acrylic ink, and alcohol ink along with thread. Stencils and other non-traditional mark-making implements (i.e. bubble wrap) were used to create visual texture in the background. It was in this period of work that I began experimenting with pulling elements of the background into the foreground, and vice versa. I also engaged more with the patterns that echoed through the piece in different ways. The stencil pattern in the background was repeated in the embroidery in the foreground. Matching thread color with the underlying paint color creates something akin to an embossing effect.

"Frida", 8x10", acrylic on panel

Continuing to explore pattern and texture, this is one of a series of work that used a bold stenciled background which exposed the wood grain of the panel underneath. A similarly bold golden outline draws emphasis and resembles a collage effect. Use of highly textured gold frames adds to the overall pattern- and texture-dense experience of the piece.

"Everything", 8x10", acrylic on fabric mounted on wood panel

As I continued to explore patterns, I began to experiment with the ways that found patterns on fabric can support and enhance the overall composition of a portrait. Here, fabric was mounted to cradled wood board and then painted upon. The fabric pattern shows through clearly in some areas, and shows through in a muted way beneath thin layers of paint in others. 

 “Protector of Small Moments," - 16"x20", fabric, paper, thread, beads, mirror, and acrylic paint.

"Protector of Small Moments" explores the multitude of fleeting experiences and encounters that can come and go in the blink of an eye, but still invariably shape the path of our lives. These moments often go unnoticed and may seem unimportant but, woven together, they form rich stories about who we are.

This specific piece incorporates many elements, including botanical images, text fragments, and mirror tiles. While most of the collage elements are fragmented enough to be nearly unrecognizable, a few (the phrases “speak out” and “creative soul”, the pink flowers in bloom, and the small black and white image of a young girl) were left intact with intention. In creation, these story elements were added to reference creativity, growth, personal voice, and childhood dreams. However, in exhibition, I recognize that viewers may assign a completely different narrative to these elements – a hoped-for evolution that is welcomed and encouraged. The mirrors invite viewers to engage in conversation with the portrait, acknowledging the way we become part of other people’s stories… and the way other people’s stories can influence our own individual path.

"Matriarch," 30x40", acrylic on canvas

Having worked on a smaller scale with portraits up until this point, I felt driven to work large. The way that I incorporated visual texture and pattern in this piece needed to be adapted to suit the scale. A large lace pattern is subtly repeated throughout the piece.

"Becoming," 24"x24", acrylic with denatured alcohol on canvas

This painting reflects my transition from focusing on the technical aspects of portraiture, to telling stories through a portrait as the vehicle. I was drawn to this reference for its physical form (a profile which, to me, resembled a mountain) and for the distant expression. It spoke to me from a compositional standpoint as well as through the story it began to tell me about looking to the future (or, the past). 

I began painting this on the same day that my 12yo (sensitive, vegetarian, animal-loving) daughter texted me that she was going with her friends to help retrieve a dead deer that our neighbor had shot and killed with his bow. We have recently moved from the city to a much more rural area; the idea of taking a sled into the woods to go get a dead deer was foreign and somewhat appalling to me. This message from my daughter caused me to reflect on my relationship with the environment around me, and to think about how my own childrens' experience is becoming significantly different from my own at their age.

My daughter going with friends to retrieve a dead deer is, strangely, much like my relationship with making art. I came back to making art in my mid-forties after a 20+ year hiatus, and quickly set about learning a new way of seeing and interacting with the world. For several years, the technical aspects of making a believable portrait completely preoccupied me. My recent focus on mixed-media collage allowed me to incorporate more detailed storytelling and more of what feels like my authentic voice. This portrait, which I have called "Becoming," is about that transition and the feeling of allowing myself to melt into a way of creating that feels the most comfortable and authentic. While this painting once contained the profile of a deer, that image was eventually replaced by the evergreen forest and the soaring bird. Denatured alcohol spattered on the acrylic paint creates bubble-like "cells" which cast a dreamy quality onto the painting, capturing that moment when I am able to let go of technical concerns and achieve an unfettered flow that stems from somewhere in my subconscious.

"Odessa", 10" round, acrylic on Blue Willow china

My grandmother's plate pattern was Blue Willow. When I came into some of her plates recently, I was immediately enthralled by the intricate pattern I remembered fondly from my youth, and instantly wanted to paint on them. I still haven’t brought myself to paint on my own grandma’s Blue Willow, but I continue searching for this pattern in thrift shops and from online sellers because I just love it. I joke that I am buying Other People’s Grandma’s plates so I can paint on those instead of my own. 

These older style plates aren’t as commonly used anymore, but they are gorgeous and so many of us have the fondest memories of them. I love the idea of bringing them into a new way of being seen and appreciated. The pattern itself is a story, and I love the idea of layering story upon story.

I became interested in imagining who the Other People’s Grandmas might have been when they were using the plates. This is the imaginary Grandma I have named Odessa. She came to the U.S. from the old country as a young woman and made a living taking in people's washing and mending while she raised her children. She now has over a dozen grandchildren and makes them all hand-sewn stuffed animals every Christmas. She likes a stiff drink every now and then.