ABOUT MY WORK

Visitors to my studio often ask, "Where do your ideas come from?" With some difficulty, I explain that I don't start with a particular idea. I just start...that's often the hard part. The painting grows in stages and layers of color, texture, lines and marks, erasures and additions. At some point, the manipulated surface begins to make sense and I feel more directed. It's an exploratory adventure that may span days or weeks; occasionally a piece is completed in one sitting. It's a "painting" I am after-not necessarily a "picture".

The urge to create artwork surfaced long after my academic years. After learning the basics and experimenting with a variety of mediums, I discovered encaustics...that was "it" for me. I found the freedom to head in many directions even within the same piece. Working with the molten wax is a hands on process both tactile and cerebral. My work space resembles a messy kitchen with heated tools, a skillet, electrical outlets and colorful ingredients. I frequently feel the need to incorporate paper, fabric, beads and once-used materials in my work. Perhaps this urge stems from growing up in a household where ordinary things were saved for future use. Extreme recycling was an economic necessity.

Encaustic paintings are durable and almost impervious to changes over time. They require only an occasional buffing to restore a natural sheen. And they will not melt! Only if subjected to extreme heat will the surface soften. They should be treated as any other fine art and hung accordingly.

Feel free to contact me with your comments or to arrange a visit.