Large predators. Jellyfish dancing in the sky. All were images that came in me prior to our lockdown in March 2020. I continued this series of juxtaposition and reveled in their unexpected beauty. Everything must coexist. We can’t appreciate the light without having experienced the darkness. This series was on display at the KickstART Gallery in Farmington, MI from November-December 2020. I called the show “Gifts of Quarantine” because while the world was in chaos, I felt gratitude for the safety and health of my family and ample time in which to create.

Royal Oak Tribune Article

Farmington Voice Article

Metromode Article

Newsbreak Article

When the owners of the local bakery called to say they chose me for their mural, I asked “What do you want me to include in the design?” “Sunflowers and diversity” they replied. With a nod to Mary Blair for her work on “Its a Small World”, I set out to create a celebration of our small town with pattern and color. In the summer of 2020, there weren’t many activities available to kids, so I invited local children to help me work. In total, the mural took one month to complete and sprawls at 22x11 feet.

Raven Wings were a commission for our town’s Grand Raven Festival. Intended as a temporary installation, the pieces are painted plywood affixed to an interior wall. The installation includes a moon, and two sets of wings: The Grand Pair spans 16’ feet The miniature pair is intended for dogs and small humans, with a span of 5 feet.

Oakland County Times Article

As a teacher, I am often inspired by projects I assign my students. Given that I teach a 3-D class, I wanted to try my hand at sculpture for the first time. I spend the bulk of summer 2021 exploring this new medium. I have only scratched the surface here as I know I have much more ground to cover. I would like to pursue more relief paintings, where objects have a 3-D effect against a flat background. Created in paper mâché, these pieces have a surprising weight and sturdiness to them. I particularly enjoy having many surfaces to paint and their unexpected aspects, such as intricate beading. I’m on a quest to create a whole new hybrid of artwork!

Fantastical creatures began making their way into my consciousness and I captured them in this acrylic series on plywood. I enjoy the rough and colorful aspect of this series and delight in the unexpected glow and texture of each surface. They became the planning phase for the sculpture series that was to follow. This 2-D series was on display at Art on the Grand in Farmington Michigan in June 2021, and at the Kickstart Farmington Gallery for the remainder of the summer. I hope to someday have 2-D and 3-D counterparts on display together in a shared setting.