Artist Statement/Biography

As a self-taught artist with a diverse background, my view of the world and my work comes from a unique place.

Human expression is a language that I enjoy.  The struggle in my art is about keeping an extreme diversity and balance.  As an artist, I believe your inspirations, expressions, and feelings about your work should, first and foremost, be sincere.

My art is largely about my fantasies as a female.  My perspective on the human -specially the female - condition is something I deem critical to my art.  Therefore my canvasses become a stage for these ideas, a place where there can be a crucial interaction between the viewer and the images.

A long background as fashion photographer and fashion illustrator has afforded me a rare insight that I am able to apply to my painting.   Fashion in any society is a representation of its culture and desires.  It too is a language of its own and one that informs my art.

I work in all mediums, but enjoy creating in mixed media especially.  It gives me the opportunity to challenge myself and to create harmony between many different, often disparate, elements.

The visual messages in my work tend to be symbolic – whether it’s about the objects used, the colors, or the body language and facial expressions of my characters.

My inspiration comes from every imaginable source.  In many ways I am a perfectionist and sometimes too demanding of myself.  But hopefully that’s what helps me create vibrant art rather than quiet paintings.

EDUCATION:

Studied Fine Arts and Fashion Design at Contra Costa College, Contra Costa, California, California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, California and the San Francisco Academy of Arts.

Completed a certificate course in Fashion Photography at the New York Institute of Photography, and courses in Art History, Illustration and Airbrush at Santa Monica City College.

EXHIBITS AND AWARDS:

Group Exhibition, Merging-One Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, March 2003

One Woman Show, Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ, February 2003

Group Show, RA Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ, 1998-2000

Group Show, Sage Brush Gallery, Tucson, AZ, 1993

Second and third place winner of pastel portrait awards, Pima County Art Fair, 1992

Winner of competition for painting a mural at the Technology Department of Santa Monica City College, 1987

First student selected and awarded a scholarship in the Santa Monica City College Mentor program, 1987

One Woman Show, Bijan Gallery, Beverly Hills, California, 1987

14th Annual Art Show, Pasadena, California, 1986

One Woman Show, photography, Litho Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 1982

PREFERRED MEDIA AND CURRENT PROJECTS:

Most of my work is done in oil and acrylics. I am currently working to create a body of work in three dimensional art, mixed media and assemblages.