Artist Statement
AT THE HEART OF IT ALL
Feeling wonder means stopping to notice the odd animal expression... I focus on the strength of emotion I feel and connection made. Striving to recreate that moment later, is the goal. Each animal has a unique essence. Conversely, with people I often see the animal in their expressions, features, and carriage.
The writer in me needs more than just sharing the visual piece I create. And so I write, describing each moment; sharing the animal's story. I hope that it will help you better understand and connect the image to a personal experience, or dream of your own.
The foundations of my art include: a reverence for nature; the need to give animals a voice; and the ability to break the rules of traditional batik and encaustic to achieve vibrant colors, flowing lines, and minute details. Every animal has a story and each batik and encaustic piece includes the narrative of my experience with it. This fits with the storyteller in me.
BREAKING TRADITIONS
Traditional batik layers wax and dyes onto fabric using stamps or tjantings. In more than 3000 years, the process and tools have changed little and for me offer minimal control and even less opportunity for fine detail.
So our family process is different. While still layering wax and dyes, three generations of women have combined traditional and modern techniques--resulting in vibrant batiks with finer details and greater depth. I added encaustic in 2011 and use it as a natural adhesive, to add texture, and to sculpt.
EDUCATION
A licensed teacher with a Master's Degree, Literacy & Jeweler's Certificates, I am a great believer in modeling processes. An artist from a family of artists, I write, teach, create jewelry, play with glass & work deeply with wax—knowing that with art, all paths converge allowing me to bring together the pieces to create a new whole.
The writer in me needs more than just sharing the visual piece I create. And so I write, describing each moment; sharing the animal's story. I hope that it will help you better understand and connect the image to a personal experience, or dream of your own.
The foundations of my art include: a reverence for nature; the need to give animals a voice; and the ability to break the rules of traditional batik and encaustic to achieve vibrant colors, flowing lines, and minute details. Every animal has a story and each batik and encaustic piece includes the narrative of my experience with it. This fits with the storyteller in me.
BREAKING TRADITIONS
Traditional batik layers wax and dyes onto fabric using stamps or tjantings. In more than 3000 years, the process and tools have changed little and for me offer minimal control and even less opportunity for fine detail.
So our family process is different. While still layering wax and dyes, three generations of women have combined traditional and modern techniques--resulting in vibrant batiks with finer details and greater depth. I added encaustic in 2011 and use it as a natural adhesive, to add texture, and to sculpt.
EDUCATION
A licensed teacher with a Master's Degree, Literacy & Jeweler's Certificates, I am a great believer in modeling processes. An artist from a family of artists, I write, teach, create jewelry, play with glass & work deeply with wax—knowing that with art, all paths converge allowing me to bring together the pieces to create a new whole.