artists statement

For the last 28 years, I have been a busy mother raising my 8 sons and 2 daughters. I‛ve seen the many emotional struggles children face as they grow, from sibling rivalry to the throes of puberty. Many of these challenges afford them opportunities to develop character and personal growth. It has been painful at times watching my children go through hard emotions and finding their way through inner turmoil. Where I have often wanted to jump in and save them completely, I find I am only able to offer comfort, love and support. Ultimately, it is they who must find the inner strength to overcome the challenges. My current body of work focuses on these particular emotional challenges, as seen through a mother’s eyes.

I work in both clay and in oil paint. I enjoy the hands-on experience of clay, and feel it allows me to connect more intimately to my work. This is important to me because my subjects are often those I love, such as my children or animals. When working in paint I am separated by long brushes and not directly touching the work. This allows me to input a more formal energy into it, which I use to complement the subjects I‛ve chosen to portray.