Artist statement:
‘Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working’ -Pablo Picasso
This is truest statement I can think of to represent how an artist creates. It is the work itself that perpetuates the creation of more work and leads to more ideas. I have been working with several themes over the years. My interest with cattle began with the visual contrast they presented against the ochres of the landscapes. As I was painting plein air, trying to capture that, a group of cattle snuck up behind me to investigate what I was doing. I began to see them as the subject of portraits. I wanted to convey the questions they presented to me, as I was wondering what they were thinking. Since that day, I have visited many ranches and dairies, enjoying meeting the animals, as their caretakers shared their time and knowledge with me. Each animal seemed to call for a new portrait painting. From there, I also became intrigued by the rodeos. An empty field one day was turned into a small town overnight with animals, caretakers and riders following the circuit hoping for a successful 8 seconds. In all of these paintings, my intention is to show a connectivity with something that may normally be overlooked as we move through the world around us.
I work in acrylic paints with a layering process. I create blocks of color with an underpainting that will show through the top layers in varying amounts. I alter the resolution on those top layers to give variation between loose and more refined details which lets the underpainted colors to show through with variances. The painting process itself has led to other avenues of developing themes/series of work. Texture within the landscape is also a visual theme that appeals to me. Some of the landscapes are about showing the patterns and textures while approaching the painting process the same way as my other portrait works. I continue to paint weaving through these various series- always working and always finding something in one painting that leads to the inspiration for the next one.
Selected Exhibitions:
Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, Arizona
‘Cowgirl Up!’ 2020 and 2021
Ann Korologos Gallery, Basalt, Colorado
‘Women of the Wild West’, October, 2020
‘Visions: Near and Far’, two woman show, September 2019
‘Western Waters’, group show, September 2018
‘Women of the West’, group show, August, 2018
‘It’s the West, Honey’, group show, June 2017
‘Character Studies’, group exhibition, July, 2013
‘The Journey West’, three person show, June/July, 2009
Bullseye Glass Company, Portland, Oregon
‘Working Glass’, group show, ‘Gold Award’, March 2018
Beals & Co. Showroom, Santa Fe, NM,
‘From this Perspective’, solo exhibition, November 2017
Sugarman Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Solo exhibition, August, 2013
Marin MOCA, Novato, California
‘Horizons’, group show, July 2012 Juror’s Award, Second Place
Peterson Cody Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
‘Free Rein’ solo exhibition, November, 2010
‘Connections’, two person show, November, 2009
‘Close Range’, solo exhibition, October, 2008
‘Range Rovers’, solo exhibition, November 2007
‘Scene & Herd’, two person show, May 2006
Charlene Cody Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
featured artist, August 2005
The Downey Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
solo exhibition, September 2004
The Dana Gallery, Missoula, Montana
solo exhibition, May 2004
Basalt Gallery, Basalt, Colorado
“Cows and their Boys”, two person show, September 2002
Ucross Foundation, Ucross, Wyoming
“In the Shadow of the Bighorns”, two person show, June 14 - September 6, 2002
David Barnett Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
“The Art of the Cow and the Cow in Art” group show, June/July, 2002
QI An Art Space, Brooklyn, New York
“Chess”, two person show, 2000
The Finer Side, Washington D.C.
“Chess Squares”, solo exhibition, 1998
Regional Standard Arts Project, Santa Fe, New Mexico
“Survival for Children”, Featured Artist, 1993
“Manhattan Project”, Group Show, 1993
“Miniatures”, Group Show, 1993
“Day of the Dead”, Group Show, 1993
New Mexico Art League, Albuquerque, New Mexico
“Twenty-Second Annual National Painting Exhibition”, 1993 Honorable Mention
PUBLICATIONS/ PRESS:
‘Art of the Horse’, multiple artists, copyright 2018
‘Art Journey, New Mexico 104 Painters’ Perspectives’, copyright 2009
American Art Collector, November 2009
Western Art Collector, October 2008
Western Art Collector, November 2007
American Art Collector, May 2006
Focus Santa Fe, September 2004
ARTIST RESIDENCY:
Ucross Foundation, Fall 2001