After retiring in 2017 from a career as a kitchen and bathroom designer, I changed my creative focus to making art. During the pandemic, I centered my practice on encaustic wax painting and wood sculpture, developing my unique style. My work is regularly displayed at The Arts Center in Corvallis, The Guistina Gallery at Oregon State University, and the Philomath Museum. I'm a member of the Corvallis Art Guild and the Mid-Willamette Woodworkers Guild
It all begins with an idea.
Inspiration is at the core of my artistic practice. It may come from a walk on a cobbled beach, visiting a national park, or a birdwatching trip. My themes are generally nature related, interpreting the beautiful world that surrounds us. The natural grains and colors of wood are often a driving force in my sculptural work. The perceived movement of wood grain can infuse a piece with tension or soften the design with repetitive or wavy direction. The materials can also suggest a sense of place, such as a stone found on a beach or a wood from a tree planted by a friend or relative. I attempt to build on those feelings and convey them to the viewer.
Process
Wood Sculptures
From a pile of wood to a completed work, the process takes vision. In the case of abstract art that vision often changes during the process as the particular traits of the materials are discovered. Much of the wood that I use has been repurposed, given to me, or purchased at estate sales. I enjoy the challenge of finding the essence of the material and giving it a new purpose. When inspiration strikes I add elements of stone or glass to accent the wood.
Encaustic wax paintings
My encaustic wax paints are made with beeswax, damar resin (a natural tree sap that acts as a hardening agent), and pigment. Encaustic painting has a long history, dating back to the 5th Century B.C.E. The word encaustic means to burn in, which refers to the process of applying molten paint. Beeswax is impervious to moisture, it will not deteriorate, it will not yellow or darken. Encaustic paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass.
Pileated Woodpecker encaustic wax paint
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