“As I develop a particular painting, I depart from a concept and reach instead into the demands of the canvas before me.  What’s coming through is telling me I must go elsewhere.  So while I might give the opening direction, the painting, as it progresses through my mind and body, determines its own journey to completion.…The artist has to have a dialogue with what is being created.”  Helen Frankenthaler

This series of paintings is about the the usage of color and expanding the process, which is organic and intuitive.  

The Beach Girl Series came together as a result of being locked away for that long period of time during Covid.  

Nobody I knew was going anywhere and we were all instructed to stay in quarantine for what seemed like forever.  I began looking for solace by scouting out vacation websites and planning my next getaway.  For me, vacation must include going to a beach of some sort.  Even a little spit of sand on the Seine in Paris can be a beach.  As long as you are next to a large body of water,  you can get the benefits of  the "Blue Mind", which refers to the meditative state that the brain enters when we are exposed to water.  It has been found that the mere sight and sound of natural water floods the brain with dopamine, the feel-good neurochemical that promotes wellness, increased blood flow to the brain and heart, and induces relaxation.

Since I couldn't go to the beach, I started painting girls on the beach.  All painted in studio.

Interpreting the landscape in paint is what this series is about.  It's the challenge where personal emotion and imagination meet technical skill.  These paintings are a mix of studio and plein air painting.  

Each of these photos represents an individual photo shoot.  Every photo shoot has its own meaning and focus.  The activities  prior to the actual photo shoot are part of the creative process.  Collecting and preparing bits of stuff for props is an adventure.  The model contributes to the final outcome.  It's all good fun. 

Making jewelry was inevitable for me, as I have always been drawn to the art of adornment.  A few jewelry classes led to a decades-long career as a jewelry designer/maker.  My work has been carried in craft stores,  gift shops and art galleries nationwide.