Artist statement
“The love of Beauty is a reverent love for the miracle of nature
and for the all-pervasive marks of divinity to be found in it; nature
reveals to us in common things ‘the parable of deep things, the
analogies of divinity.’”
Art has long been my companion during times of darkness, as can be seen in my early work. However, over the last seven years my work has evolved to reflect my deepening contemplative experience of the world around me. With a heightened mystical awareness of my interconnectedness in the web of life, my process is one of devotion while the paintings and sculptures are an expression of the reverence I feel for the living earth. This doesn’t negate the darkness, which is essential for transformation and growth; instead, it means bringing the light and the dark—yin and yang—into balance.
My recent graduate studies in the spiritual traditions of the world have given me a broader understanding of the shared symbolism that weaves itself throughout the sacred texts of Eastern and Western religions, with those of earth-honoring traditions. Drawing from a vast reservoir of sacred literature, I create a symbolic language that is both personal and universal to inform the narrative of my paintings. My intention is to invite the viewers to slow down, contemplate the work, and discover the meaning behind it for themselves. The mandala (sanskrit for circle) has long been a vehicle for contemplation in many Eastern and indigenous traditions and it provides a framework for me to explore themes associated with the four seasons, the four elements (earth, fire, air, and water), and the four cardinal directions as a way of connecting the viewer to the sacred that is available to us in the everyday. This awareness was reinforced to me during a journey to Peru where I was introduced to the ancient spiritual teachings of the Andes, which has inspired my recent series. According to the prophecy of The Eagle and the Condor, we are in a critical time when we in the West and the indigenous peoples must come together and learn from each other to insure the survival of all species as well as our own and future generations.
My sculptures emerge through a similar process of devotion to the sacred—both the feminine and masculine. In art, the human form is one the most ancient expressions of nature and the Divine. Its sculptural form is a manifestation of the transcendent which is directly experienced upon encountering its beauty. The medium is also very sensual and allows me to connect more deeply to the earth. This alchemical process of creation is born of the elements—clay comes from the earth, water keeps it mutable, air dries it, and fire gives it permanence. These sculptures are offerings, as gifts from and to the earth. It has been said that in order to counter the ecological crisis we need an aesthetic revolution. My life and work are a contribution to this endeavor. With a passion for the earth, beauty, and the sacred, my intention is to dive deeper into these themes through my paintings and sculptures in the coming years.