My two forms of creative expression, fine art and children’s books, share themes of isolation, contemplation, empowerment and imagination.
In the formative years of my middle childhood, my family lived on a farm with neighbors too far apart to know — it was a lonely existence, but in a setting that tickled my imagination. My still resonating emotion from that time unavoidably creeps into my work. As I sift through vintage photographs, I am pulled in by certain expressions on certain children’s faces, and from there the process begins. In working with these characters, I find empathy for the them and for my young self. While there is a degree of personal catharsis in this process, I also know there are universal truths here, and perhaps ultimately a greater catharsis as viewers connect with these forgotten souls.
In my art, the interaction between found antique images and my own photography and encaustic collage work bring forward modern design balanced with nostalgic subject matter. The accessibility and playfulness reflect my work in children’s literature and an imagined context unfolds into a story of the viewer’s own.
In the formative years of my middle childhood, my family lived on a farm with neighbors too far apart to know — it was a lonely existence, but in a setting that tickled my imagination. My still resonating emotion from that time unavoidably creeps into my work. As I sift through vintage photographs, I am pulled in by certain expressions on certain children’s faces, and from there the process begins. In working with these characters, I find empathy for the them and for my young self. While there is a degree of personal catharsis in this process, I also know there are universal truths here, and perhaps ultimately a greater catharsis as viewers connect with these forgotten souls.
In my art, the interaction between found antique images and my own photography and encaustic collage work bring forward modern design balanced with nostalgic subject matter. The accessibility and playfulness reflect my work in children’s literature and an imagined context unfolds into a story of the viewer’s own.