I am a lifelong Michigan resident and I have lived and worked in Ann Arbor for the past 30 years. I hold a BFA from the University of Michigan, and an MFA in Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art. In addition to practicing and exhibiting my work, I am the founder and director of trustArt studios and Barickuda Gallery. (trustArtstudios.com). I work in large and small scale, incorporating various combinations of found and collected objects, my photographs, and encaustic painting techniques. My creative process is greatly influenced by taking a closer look at my environment and the objects within it. The Midwest landscape and lifestyle strongly resonate in my imagery and materials. I often stop to pick up a variety of objects and materials and to take photos of things I find compelling along my way. Pausing to observe details in my environment through the course of an ordinary day, offers an insight to the beauty of nature and time to consider the material world around me. I am a collector of material and images that capture my attention and pique my curiosity, from the extraordinary to the mundane. In my work, I strive to create synergy between the content, the materials and the process by which I compose them. From my background in metalsmithing, I work with passion and regard for fine craftsmanship, and consideration for the content and inspiration found in the materials themselves, from their aesthetic qualities to the intrinsic meaning they may carry. I utilize these materials and images to fuel content and provide structure in my work. The content and imagery in my work is often drawn from themes of nature, nostalgia, memory, growth/decay, tension/harmony, and the female experience. I approach my work with purpose and deliberation, but also with an organic, intuitive unfolding as the primary creative force, building relationships between the materials and imagery I choose to express my ideas to the viewer.

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