My life is a crooked path. Although I now thrive in an urban setting, I am from a small Montana town nestled in the mountains of Bitterroot Valley so was steeped in the beauty of the natural world. As the daughter of two biologists, nature’s imagery is an important part of my memory bank. Trees, sunsets, tide pools, rocks, seed pods, lizards, nudibranchs and their colors and textures inform my wet-felted artwork.  Furthermore, the chemistry I learned from my mother while cooking and later as a medical researcher is the basis for my understanding of the natural and biological dye materials I often use to color my work. All this ties in with my concern for the environment and the impact that the preparation of clothing and dyeing have on it.

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Mountains, sea shores, buildings, indigenous art and traditions, and food that I have experienced while travelling in Asia, Central and South America and Europe augment and update my memory.

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As my work grows and develops, sustainability and connection to the greater environment influences my work.

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Workshop Participation:

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Felting: Natural Dyeing and Shibori: Kathy Hattori at Botanical Colors, Charlotte Kwon, Sophena Kwon and Natalie Grambow at Maiwa School of Textiles, Takayuki and Tomo Ishii of Awonoyoh, Gladys Paulus, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Joan Morris, Nicola Brown, Rick Rao, Jane Callender, Irit Dulman, Porfirio Gutierrez, and Aboubakar Fofana.

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Knitting: Lucy Neatby, Cat Bordhi, and Sivia Harding. 

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Online classes in drawing and painting with Lisa Congdon, Pam Garrison, Lisa Solomon

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Exhibitions

 

Sedona Art Center, 2024, First Prize, Elemental Fire

Toward 2050, 2024

Tohono Chul, Tucson, 2024

Gallery 114, Portland, 2023

TextileX Month, Portland, 2023, 2024

Tucson Museum of Art Artisan Markets, 2017-2020

Portland Open Studios, 2023, 2022, 2020

Many of the markets were suspended during the pandemic

 

Teaching

 

Natural and Botanical Dyeing, private instructions, 2023, 2024

Indigo Dyeing, Tucson Handweavers and Spinning Guild (study groups)

Blue Magic – An Intro to Indigo and Shibori, Tucson, AZ, March 2023

Indigo Dyeing:  Bamboo Garden Nursery, Ned Jaquith Foundation Benefit

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