Close Work
I spent my college years painting and studying abstract painting. After graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University with a BFA, I had a variety of art-related jobs. From working at a gallery framing and installing pictures, and teaching art to kids in Pittsburgh, to making illustrations for a toy company, to painting sets for film, TV and theater in New York City, I was able to keep my hand in making things, albeit for someone else.
While living in New York I found I was able to paint when I gave myself assignments with clear parameters, like an exercise. When I tried painting abstractly, it felt too random or contrived to me so I painted what I found beautiful or inspiring. The most notable of this work was a series of 1 1/2” x 1” watercolor portraits of “women painted by men.” Their small size demanded focus and I learned more about the subject than I could have by just looking at it. The work became a form of meditation.
Ten years ago my husband and I moved to Peekskill. Soon we opened The Peekskill Coffee House and my life circle became condensed. When we had a son, my time slowed and the scope of my world refined. The subject matter of my work has spiraled closer to home with the apples on embroidery hoops series, a series of bark studies, paintings of local landscapes, portraits, and pictures of family dramas.
My work has become much like domestic handcraft, weaving focus and meditation into my day. This is my close work.
