Left: Detail of "Joanna's Gourd" Instillation



Relic like objects and little treasures inspire my work. Sometimes it is an object from childhood or growing up, like an old dresser drawer knob, or the worn fabric of a family quilt.  Other times it is an object I find unexpectedly, like a shiny locket someone dropped in the dirt. The process of finding, or rediscovering something is most important because it makes me feel a connection with the object; giving me the need to hold it, keep it, and preserve it by using it in my painting.

I am drawn to decorative detail, femine pattern,  and gem like qualities, but the decay and surface erosion upon these surfaces are what I find most beautiful.  Overtime, the deterioration  begins to bond delicately with the original surface to create layers and layers of surface buildup. Eventually, that object or surface begins to serve as a tangible vessel for memory, family and history. I want to preserve this process of change and accretion by recreating it on my canvas. I use stain like forms and preserve the raw canvas, to see canvas with little or no paint reminds me of my starting point. Also reminding me of my process and starting point are my sketches, I want to keep those early thoughts, and mark making in my paintings. Those impulsive gestural drawings that were meant for no one to see, i find those to be very beautiful.