Inspiration comes from observing nature whether it is finding solace and calm or reflections on climate change. Frequently I work in series to tell a story. I am also intrigued by the complexity of color, patterns, and structural elements in our environment whether shooting Polaroid photographs or creating monoprints.
In my professional career as a paper conservator, I researched artists' materials, techniques, photography and technology, and incorporated that knowledge into my work.
Monoprints
The prints are made with a gelatin plate and slow drying, acrylics paints. They can include the use of various materials to create surface texture and additional hand applied media, such as kozo paper, charcoal, graphite, colored pencils and watercolor. I print on a variety of papers, smooth to textured and light to heavyweight.
I do a lot of experimentation with the application of the acrylic paints, colors and techniques on the plate. There can be variations of paint thicknesses, textures, applied pressure and paper types. I am intrigued by the complexity of color, patterns, and structural elements in our environment. It could be an interpretations of winter street debris or horizontal bands of landscape color, microscopic images and coded messages
My most recent exploration and experimentation with color mixtures and juxtapositions are reflected in the “landscape and color” and “waterscape” prints that I began earlier in 2023. The possibilities are endless and include landscapes, mountainscapes and waterscapes. There is something alluring about those horizontal bands of color that can be muted, luminous and/or dramatic, that have captured artists’ imaginations. In my mind’s eye I created these scenes based on real and imagined observations. Some of the images can reflect calmness, awe, incredible delight, turmoil and unstable climate. .
Polaroids
I picked up my father's old Polaroid camera, some expired film and started shooting. Polaroid images have a dream-like, painterly quality that evoke a distant time and place. The unique characteristics, or 'artifacts', of the developed, or partly developed Polaroid print are part of its charm. I am never quite sure of the result. I engage with nature to create my images, and use a combination of vintage and contemporary Polaroid film with vintage cameras, scan the images and digitally manipulate to depict a narrative about the natural world. The photographs are a marriage between analog and digital. My inkjet, printed images are on Japanese kozo papers. These papers have lovely translucency and rich fibrous surfaces that become integral elements of the artworks.
Education and Experience:
• Master's degree from Columbia University in the City of New York in Library and Archives Conservation of Books and Paper
• Studied Art History and Studio Art at the University of Maryland in College Park
• Professional career as paper conservator at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC
• Member of Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, Hyattsville, Maryland
• Member of Maryland Federation of Art
• Member Montgomery Art Association
Exhibitions 2023
• 10 x 10 Pyramid Atlantic Art Center Exhibition, Dec. 9- Dec. 24, 2023, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781
• Seeing the Beauty in All Things, Group Show, Montgomery Art Association at the Goldman Gallery, Nov. 12-Dec. 17, 2023, 6125 Montrose Rd., Rockville, MD 20852
• A Beautiful Mess, Juried Exhibition, Girls Who Paint Gallery, August 23-September 17, 2023, 10419 Fawcett St., Kensington, MD 20895
• Brookside Gardens Art Exhibition at the Visitors’ Center, one of three featured artists, April 18 to May 14, 800 Glenallan Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20902.
• MashUp, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Members’ Exhibition, April 1 to April 30, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781
Exhibitions 2022
• Fall Art at Windridge Vineyard (juried exhibition), Montgomery Art Association, Oct. 5-Jan. 14, 2023, Windridge Vineyard Tasting Room, 15700 Darnestown Road, Darnestown, MD
• Paint the Town, Labor Day Weekend Art Exhibition, Abstract Category Honorable Mention, Montgomery Art Association, September 3-5, Kensington MD Armory, 3710 Mitchell St. Kensington, MD 20895
• Spring Members Juried Exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art, May 5-May 28, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
• Windridge Vineyard, Spring is in the Air Juried Exhibition, April 6- June 19, Montgomery Art Association, Windridge Vineyard Tasting Room, 15700 Darnestown Road, Darnestown, MD
• The Nature of Art, Montgomery County Art Association, March 14-April 25, Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD
• Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, MashUp, Members Exhibition, March 11-April 17, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781
• Lowe House of Delegates, 6 Bladen St., Annapolis MD, MD Federation of Art, January 12-April 11, 2022
Exhibitions 2021
• Gibson Island Art Gallery at the Yacht Club, one of two featured artists, Gibson Island, MD, November 1,2021-January 3, 2022
• Black and White online exhibition, Women’s Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC, August 14-September 30, https://www.wcadc.org/blackandwhite
• Here Comes the Sun, online exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art, August 19- September 10
• Creative Expressions 2021, Juried Online Exhibition, 1st Place Award, Abstract Category, MAA (Montgomery Co. Art Association), June 1- July 31. https://montgomeryart.org/creative2021
• Flora and Fauna, Juried Exhibition, MD Federation of Art, April 1-May 15, Calvert Marine Museum, 14200 Solomons Island Rd. Solomons, MD 20688
• Looking for America: DC, Juried Exhibition, Women’s Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC and Hera Hub DC, March 8- May 7, 5028 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 100, Washington DC 20016
Exhibitions 2020
• Spotlight @Touchtone, 77 Artists (virtual) 12/10-2/10/2021, Touchstone Gallery, 1300 I St. NW, Suite 400E, Washington, DC 20005 https://www.touchstonegallery.com/exhibits-all/2020/12/1/spotlight-group-show
• Small Wonders, Juried Exhibition, Maryland Federation of Art, Dec. 3-27, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
· MASHUP, Pyramid’s Annual Membership Exhibition, “Election Year”, September 26-November 8, 4318 Gallatin t. Hyattsville, MD 20781 https://www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org/members-mashup-2020
· Why I Vote, The City of Gaithersburg and the Women's Caucus for Art, D.C. Chapter, The Activity Center at Bohrer Park, Gaithersburg, MD, September 11-November 16 https://www.wcadc.org/whyivote
· Juried exhibition, MFA @ Gallery B, online at Curve Gallery, July 22-Aug.15
· Juried Summer Member Show, Maryland Federation of Art, July 16 – August 8, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
· Women’s Caucus for Art of Washington of Greater Washington, Alone Together, online exhibition: June 20-Aug. 1 https://www.wcadc.org/alonetogether
· Juried Winter Member Show, Maryland Federation of Art, Jan. 4-25, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Exhibitions 2019
· Small Wonders 2019, Maryland Federation of Art, December 4-29 Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis MD 21401
· American Landscapes 2019, Maryland Federation of Art, August 22- September 21, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, Annapolis MD 21401
· Time Zero and Beyond: Instant Photography, July 18th- August 9th, The RI Center for Photographic Arts, RICPA 118 N. Main St. Providence, RI 02903 www.riphotocenter.org/time-zero-and-beyond-exhibition/
· Change/Transformation, Women’s Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, June 12-July 6, Waverly Street Gallery, Bethesda, Md.
· Camera USA 2019, National Photography Exhibition, June 3-July 5, Naples Art Association, Naples, Florida
· BIG little Art SHOW: Atomic Books in Hampden, May3 - May31, Baltimore, MD
· MASH UP: Pyramid Atlantic Art Center Members Exhibition, April 26 - May 26, Hyattsville, Md,
· Reflections on Light, Small Works: A Selection from the Women’s Caucus for Art, DC, MD, & VA, March 9- April 8, Lavinia Wohlfarth Gallery 3418 9th St NE, Washington, DC
· TREEmendous Juried Exhibition, March 7- April 28, 2019, Hill Center at Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003
· Photowork 2019: 32nd Annual National Juried Photography Exhibition, February 9 -March 23, 2019, Barrett Art Center, 55 Noxon St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
· The Naked Print: A Juried National Photography Exhibition, January 17-February 15, 2019, Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts, Second Floor, 118 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
· Night: The 28th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition, January 12–February 17, 2019, Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc. in the Gudelsky Gallery Suite at the Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD 20852
· Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition, January 10-March 2, 2019, Hill Center at Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20003
Exhibitions 2018
• Cooley Gallery, Group Exhibition: Women’s Art Caucus, DC Chapter, September 7- 30, 2018, Leesburg, Virginia 20176
• Glen Echo 48th Annual Labor Day Art Show, September 1-3 2018, Glen Echo, Maryland 20812
• Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition, June 27 - September 22, 2018 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington DC, 20003
• METHODICAL: Annual Juried Member's Exhibition, June 8 - July 13 2018, Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781
Private Collections
Baltimore MD, Annapolis MD, Severna Park MD, Gibson Island, MD, Silver Spring MD, Washington DC and Vienna VA.