As an artist I am inspired almost every single day by the things I’ve surrounded myself with inside and outside of my home. I am inspired by people, my family, especially my children & granddaughter, my friends, as well as other artists. I am a perpetual student of art history, especially paintings of and by women, often looking to those images for inspiration. My interest in colorful vintage advertisements, typography & printmaking is something I’m currently researching for ways to incorporate all three into painting or collage projects.

I often separate crafts from art when speaking about my work but as a high school art teacher I participated in a professional workshop conducted by a university art professor who suggested that crafts should be seriously considered alongside what we traditionally think of as fine art and I tend to agree with that position. For me, transitioning from fine art practices to crafting and back again just makes sense and often one informs the other in creating unique pieces. That line blurs even further for me with regard to fashion and jewelry design. My closest friends know that I have always been a fashion enthusiast. I went to a college that didn’t have classes in fashion design so with the help of a home economics professor and art professor, I devised an independent study in fashion design, creating numerous drawings by taking inspiration from fashions seen in early paintings & adapting them to modern wear. I even saw one of my designs come to life as my friend chose it for her wedding dress! The process of working with a seamstress to make the dress was invaluable. My mom taught me to sew as a child & my sewing skills were strengthened as well through this exploration in fashion design. Even though I chose not to pursue a career in fashion, it did inform later projects in textiles such as batik, another “favorite” of mine.

Crafting for me has included felting, weaving, macrame, bookmaking, repurposing furniture, stenciling and simulating mercury glass on old windows. I am constantly browsing pinterest and markets in my area that spark creativity. Who knows what will inspire me next?