The rawness and earthiness of my work is a result of growing up on a farm in Indiana and living overseas in Kenya for many years. The honest reality and humbleness of Africa that has more soil and growing things than cement and contained lines and lives has affected my work.

My perseverance in creating artwork has evolved over the years from a very young child coloring inside the lines with crayons to more honest and open expressions of myself. I define much of my work as a visual commentary about the ancient words I study in the Scriptures and what they mean to me.

My interest and study in the history of art also affects my work. The catacombs still display the artwork of ancient artists. The stained glass windows in magnificent cathedrals still declare theological instruction. Chardin, Vermeer and the Dutch masters promote the importance of knowing how to draw. Contemporary painters like Giorgio Morandi and Morris Graves show the sophistication of shapes and minimal compositions, as does the Mexican architect, Luis Barragan with his broad areas of contemplative spaces and color.

My most recent pieces include images painted with watercolor on 300 pound watercolor paper after which pieces of rice paper are collaged on top. This produces textures and an effect not unlike a fresco. Another technique that introduces texture to my work, is the addition of stitching on the paper as part of the piece.

In a world of constant change and penetrable moving visuals, I constantly return to the importance of silence and contemplation, and the stability of my faith. The time it takes me to give visual form to images in my mind is a sacrificial and contemplative process. My work is sincere and intuitive and is a response
to what I’ve been given, where I’ve lived and what I’ve learned.