Background
1977 BA, Photography/Art History, Stanford University
1996 MFA, Painting/Drawing/Art History, University of New Mexico
Born in Los Angeles, raised in New York City, I currently reside in Durham NC after living on the Big Island of Hawaii for 20 years where I was inspired by the Kilauea Volcano. I have studied many forms of art, both formally and informally including painting, drawing, photography, graphic design, fabric design, ceramics, sculpture and jewelry making.
I consider my work an amalgamation of many years of experimentation with different forms of media and creative expression coupled with my philosophical interest in metaphysics as well my love of physics. Over the years I have exhibited in galleries and museums in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, South Carolina, Albuquerque, NM, Hawaii and North Carolina.
Artist and Educator
As both an artist and educator I combine Art and Science in my personal work and have designed a unique STEAM course that I taught at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. The "Art, Science and Technology" course uses scientific principles to explore realms of creativity. Students had the opportunity to work with the Marine Science Department's Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to learn about the sub atomic scanning process and creative new forms of art as a result.
Creative Philosophy
Inspiration for my work comes from natural phenomenon, particularly microscopic/macroscopic elements, structures and events - Volcanoes, thunderstorms, cosmic activity, birth, the sub-atomic particle dance, etc. I have been fascinated with science and the nature of reality since my childhood. Throughout my adult life I have studied modern theories of physics such as chaos, quantum and string theories.
My fascination with physics is only matched by my interest in ancient metaphysics. I have found that both metaphysics and physics concur that reality is transient, impermanent and illusionary based on the intimate relationship between the observer and the observed. It is this illusion and relationship that is the threshold of my art. Whether creating large works that are backlit to mimic cosmic structures, or handcrafted jewelry to mimic geological phenomenon, my work always reflects my interest in science.
For me, the perceptual process allows me to tap into the collective consciousness of all materials of the Universe (the organizing field of the space-time continuum), and bring forth information that will allow me to create forms. Thus, my artistic journey flows between the internal consciousness to the external form of reality.