A critical component of my work is a basic icon - a house, dress, or boat - that proposes challenging, thoughtful ideas and speaks to the human condition. Each picture is a multi-generational storehouse of memory and experience. Simple, yet complex, iconic images in my work have come to suggest a range of emotions... because the forms are more conceptual than real, they reflect the ambiguous and evoke the ambivalent. Often they trigger a longing for pleasure, comfort, security and permanence, while transcending borders, cultures and socio-economic class.
Abstracted images and mark making, in combination with innovative use of color, create the essential elements of my work. I spend significant time finding the correct color or shade to convey a specific feeling because to me color is not just color, it is revealing-one's blue is another's yellow. To evoke emotion and self-reflection I push conventional color stereotypes, at times using orange to trigger a pensive response or red to subdue rather than ignite. Palette knives, rags and other materials add texture and depth to my choice of color, creating an interesting surface that denies specifics yet suggest time, place and attitude.
I am continually challenged by the notions of free expression and a distinct hand to create work that has more to do with the viewer's perception than my intention.
