In a nutshell, I am a full time artist, parent, activist, flower gardener, and 80s music fan residing in Western Mass.
I can’t remember when I wasn’t drawing, cutting, hammering, carving or forming things; abstract, concrete, symbolic, useful, or theoretical things. I don’t consider myself an enthusiast of any one thing, but an explorer of many. Early on I had an attraction to line, specifically creating schematic drawings and floor plans. It was a sort of escapism, envisioning some far off ‘ideal’ space I could inhabit. Not long after, I immersed myself in oil painting where I lived for many years. I was fortunate enough to exhibit in wonderful places like the Phillip’s Mill and to have my pieces purchased by a variety of private collectors.
I wanted more. I wanted to see more, absorb more, learn more about how to grow as an artist. I decided that attending Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia would be a good fit. Interestingly, I was led to metals, not painting, there. I continued with my painting, but was slowly lulled into a trance carving wax, hammering at the forge, and manipulating materials in new and interesting ways. Along for the ride came plastics manipulation, glass blowing, weaving, photography and computer-aided design. Since then I have immersed myself and fallen more deeply in love with blacksmithing and porcelain ceramics. I have dreams of merging ceramic forms with silver and maybe steel and potentially collaborating on such projects with other artists.
Many, many ideas swirl in my head; what do I want to say with my work? How best to say it? I have been very fortunate to be commissioned to create ceremonial vessels; weddings, birth and in memorial of a life past. Recently my work has made a sudden right turn into the humorous, the delightful and unusual. Currently I am developing a giftware line called Hamsterpants as well as new line of pieces to compliment a colorful table or countertop.
