artist's statement

Using myself, friends and family as the subjects, I explore intimate
themes with my art. My canvases are large - often seven feet tall, and the
figures are usually nude. My current series of paintings is about women's
personal transformations and healing. I depict subjects who are in various
states of emergence from patterns that have had a negative impact on
their lives. My intent is to convey them breaking out of limitations and
embracing awareness, strength and freedom. In the most recent pieces, I
also explore the complexities that ensue as women engage in
relationships that speak to both their biological and (newly) created
families. By exploring a range of dynamics - sexual tension, jealousy,
sadness, anger, tenderness - my art suggests that even in a transformed
world, life is messy.

Both the large size of the women and the thick, layered application of
paint are meant to create an arresting visual presence echoing the internal
strength of the figures. I paint the women naked to suggest their willingness
to change and be vulnerable, while simultaneously embracing their
sexuality and bodies. The women take ownership of both their femininity
and their power. My objective is to challenge the viewers to question their
own assumptions about strength and beauty.