My paintings reflect my attempt to reconnect with and enrich my creative spirit. I have always loved fine art, color and design, and became fascinated with quiltmaking which, thanks to the Whitney Museum’s 1971 exhibit, Abstract Design in American Quilts, took quilts off beds and hung them on walls, thereby elevating this craft to a fine art form. The quilts in this exhibit were compared to the mid-twentieth century abstract art in the Whitney’s collection with such visual similarities as saturated colors, repetition of design and graphic simplicity. I immersed myself in quiltmaking in 1983 when I suffered the loss of my only child. Surrounding myself with luscious color and patterns, the planning and piecing of the designs and the rhythm of the needle gave me purpose, solace and comfort, and helped fulfill my need to have something to nurture to fruition.
As I approached retirement age I was looking forward to having more time to spend on creative pursuits. Since arthritis was preventing me from wielding a needle with the dexterity I once had, I decided to pursue a visual arts degree to learn about and experiment with different disciplines, styles and media to further foster my creativity. As a result, paint became my medium of choice. My work thus far has evolved from representational to abstract and non-objective explorations with various layering and mark-marking techniques. I try to approach the work with the same free, unabashed spirit of a child who has received her first box of sixty-four Crayola crayons, striving for textural interest and luminous intensity, much like the quilts I created years ago. I want to produce paintings that evoke a sense of joy and exuberance through the exciting interplay of color and design, and my hope is that I will inspire others to embrace the healing power of art.