Artist's Statement and Film
The human connection to the natural world is what energizes my work. Human figures or things we create are combined with natural elements like trees and leaves to show that we share similar qualities, affect an area greater than ourselves and are inextricably linked.
My work also reflects my concern about the impact humans are having on the climate and planet which is bringing about super storms, fires, flooding, heat waves, famine, acidifying and deoxygenated oceans, mass extinction of animals, pandemics and much more.
Something natural inspires me to begin a piece of art. It could be a cross-section of a tree that looks like a natural or urban landscape or leaves that I see figures in.
My pieces are made primarily from recycled handmade cast paper. On top of the cast paper, I use water-soluble oil paints, and some contain water-based photo-transfers as well as other materials like graphite, bark, branches, clay and lake debris.
I begin the work making the paper into pulp and then into a sheet which I mold over a natural or constructed form to create a piece that is in relief. When the paper is dry, I work on the surface with paint and other materials.
My art is created to connect viewers with the environment in a new way that inspires feelings of respect, responsibility and care for our planet.