| MY WORK |
BIO |
Artist's Statement:
Much of my art is inspired by nature. Many of the creatures, their relationships and their surroundings are derived directly from the environs of Sebec, Maine, where I grew up, or Pembroke, where I now live. Other images come from my travels around the State of Maine and the world.
Using traditional fulling, popularly called wet felting, and hand done needle-felting methods, I create my tapestries and rugs. These techniques are used in varying sequence to convey the image that is desired. The resultant works feature details that may be strongly incorporated and needle-woven into the backing of wool felt, or delicately placed as veils of fiber over the surface of the work.
I enjoy felting and making tapestries because they provide me with a connection with the past. They’re ancient arts that have been practiced for hundreds of years. A child of depression-era parents, I also find rewards in the waste-free and environmentally friendly processes that go into making felts. Raw or recycled materials in one piece can date from a span of generations.
Most of the time I work from images I see in my mind. My own photos, and those of others, are sources for the details of the image I want to depict. The artistic style of works varies, and ranges from quirky, brightly colored silhouettes and abstracts, to detailed and realistically colored images. My color pallet depends on what I've actually seen in the world, or in my imagination, or the parameters placed by the person who commissioned the work.
I find personal joy, as well as a special peace, in nature. Most of my work is a direct response to something that I have seen, or a relationship that I have felt, and want to convey to the viewer. I enjoy using my skills to draw attention to both the beauty and humor one can find by looking at the world a little more closely.