“My current work is midcentury Pop with a touch of refined folk art. I create depictions of iconic women from pop culture and history, illustrating how their ideologies contribute to modern day feminism, the radical notion that women are people. I also have created a food and drink series which looks great in personal homes as well as restaurants. Working in large format linocuts, I block print directly onto a painted wooden panel.
“I start with a photo reference and create a drawing and then transfer the drawing onto linoleum. I carve this reverse image with sharp hand tools (chisels and gouges) paying special attention to positive and negative space. After hours, days, and weeks of carving, I hand-pull my first proof with a floor press I made from a lawn roller. I ink my linoleum plate with a brayer (hard-rubber roller), lay the plate face down onto the wood, roll the press back and forth several times, then slowly peel the lino off the wood. After proofing the plate on paper and making necessary adjustments to the line work (carving again and again until it “looks right”) I print the artwork directly onto a wooden paneled canvas. I use oil-based ink for the print, let it dry for 7-10 days, and then I hand paint the colors in acrylics and alyklds.
“I love the tactile nature (and smell) of linoleum and the way the tools cut, slice, and glide through the surface. The movement of sharp chisels feeds my need for craft. Hand pulling the print from the plate and seeing the result is like opening a wrapped gift —every time. All of my linocuts on wood are monoprints. I use the same plate (linoleum), but I am always changing the inking, painting, and background. Each piece is hand-carved, inked, and painted with several layers. All are original signed works of art.
“I have been making and selling artwork through art fairs and galleries since I was 15 years old. For the last 25 years, I have been fortunate to do what I love and be paid for it. I have created and sold jewelry, fused glass, and metal quilts and mirrors. But art, like life, must evolve. With the addition of two wonderful daughters to our family as well as the increasing cost of copper and glass — not to mention the long-term toxicity of breathing glass dust — the time to change is here. I chose an art form that allows me to use my muscles and is a safe, less toxic way to make a living. Now my girls can hang out in my studio. I've always loved woodblock prints, so printmaking made perfect sense: I often think: "Where have you been my whole life?!" I am lucky to have found that printmaking suits me. Thank you for supporting independent artists as we grow and change.”
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