Artist Statement
As a grade school student, my favorite activity was cut and paste. A little later, elementary
teachers taught a lot of drawing and left the cut and paste to the younger children. The epiphany for me
happened in my mid-teens when I found out that I did not have to give up cut and paste after all…it was
called collage, and from that time on, I was hooked.
I used magazine pictures, newspaper, wrapping paper, and various other papers in my early work.
Gradually, other materials were added which elevated the content and visual complexity of the pieces.
These days, I usually tear papers of all different weights, rather than cut, but the paste methods are
mostly the same. Through the years I have experimented with various pastes and glues, and have
determined which ones work best for the material I am using. My art has evolved into other mixed media
techniques and the addition of embellishments, such as shells, beads, jewelry, glass, stones, string, fabric,
or paper mache objects can often be found in my work. My mantra is: if I can get it to stick, it’s going on
there.
As a way of changing moods, I find much pleasure working with oil and cold wax since my
background in oils progressed to using painting knives, almost exclusively. In addition to collage, mixed
media, and oils, I also enjoy working with pencil, charcoal, pastels, and acrylics. Paper mache sculpture
and small assemblages help to fill any empty spaces in my creative endeavors.
