Life has shown me that change is a companion to get used to and to make peace with. While change can bring uncertainty it can also open up unexpected horizons. Much has changed since I first began my art career, leaving my teaching career and discarding my education in computer animation for painting. After the first couple of years of paying the bills, painting still life and landscapes I soon realized my voice felt disconnected from this early work. The advice of my high school English teacher still resonated with me. "Write about what you know." I realized that the scaffolding for my art was built from my life experiences. Although, life provided plenty of fodder, guarding my privacy was a bit of a hump to get over. As I found myself squeezed during the years of raising children and caring for the older generation I realized that these were very common experiences that are shared by many. My artist's voice sought expression not just for myself, but had the hope that the work would resonate with others as well. Each series unfolded from there, leading to the most vulnerable work, Terrible Beauty, an attempt to put the past's ghosts to rest.
In the meantime, life presented a challenge, forging an enduring and indelible connection between life and art. Life forever changed as a result of an extended illness, two surgeries and extensive rehab. There were moments when Art literally tethered me to this life and although I had to change everything about the way I created art, I have never looked back. For those of you who have followed my work over the long run it has been a noticeable transformation and the current work may seem far removed from that early work, however, I look at it as a most amazing journey, not only the journey of my art, but of my life. I am left with only gratitude for life, the lovely spots and the difficult ones as well. The world is changing, both collectively and individually and I look forward to turning my lens to the wider world. More change to come for all of us. Peace to all.