Evolution of a Memory: Artist Statement

My art is a return to the curious nature of my childhood where art making felt like stepping into a secret, safe world. I remember the excitement of a fresh box of 64 Crayola crayons, paint-by-number sets, and Spirograph circles—the simple pride in creating something new.

In 2023, I retired and turned my focus to self-care—meditation, exercise, and creating art that became both refuge and release. A figure drawing class at the Worcester Art Museum rekindled memories of my art school days in Michigan where I first fell in love with the feel of charcoal, blackened fingers, and the flow state of drawing.

The female figure often shows up in my work, realistically and abstractly. Recently, I have been drawn to the connections that exist between people:the relationships we nurture, the memories that shape us, and those moments when our lives cross paths without us even noticing. My figures may initially appear to be strangers, but they often share something deeper—a gesture, an emotion, a spiritual connection.

Memory is also a common theme in my work. It’s not always clear or dependable. Instead, it changes, breaks apart, and writes itself over time. I use paint, collage paper, journal pages, old photos, to let parts of the image come and go.

My paintings are about growing—figuring out who we are, dealing with loss, change, resilience, and finding joy. I want the work to invite viewers into that space where something in the painting feels oddly familiar, even if they can’t quite put their finger on why.