Artist Statement

My work speaks to the multiple roles of the female voice. I have throughout my career worked with the ideas that women are expected to do more in their lives, and are often judged more harshly by the outcomes than their male counterparts in society. I am a daughter, a wife, a mother, a feminist, an activist, an educator, a cancer survivor, and through all these roles I also continue to be an artist. My work reflects my most relevant moments within my life. I feel I define a unique segment of society that wants to be heard and longs for emotional connections on the everyday struggles that are faced in these many scenarios.

I am formally trained as a photographer. My early work was traditional darkroom printing using portrait narrative as the backbone of my dialogue. Over the years, I have experimented with various printing techniques and digital photography. I classify my newest body of work as mixed media. I am transitioning into combining photography and textiles.  I create imagery using 35mm photographic film that is then printed onto alternative textile surfaces, most currently silks and organza. I then use silk thread embroidery to stitch and enhance certain parts of the imagery over the top of the photograph. I use my black and white photography to convey a sense of tradition and history. An elevated sense of visual importance to the subject. The stitching that I work with is created to relate to the “red thread of fate”. Though this folklore is one of marriage and destined loves, my work uses it to expand on the destiny of life and the roles of strength, control, understanding and love that compel a person to move forward.

I find it important to use “old” technology such as film-based photography and traditional embroidery to create new mixed media-based narratives.   I feel that along with the content of my work discussing continued dynamics of life history, the construction of my work supports the content using historical craft that is also commonplace in female history.

 

Resume

Education_______________________________

Masters of Fine Arts, 1999     University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bachelor of Science: Art Education, 1995  University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI

Exhibitions_____________________________

Life Line, Aperture Gallery, EMU, U of O, Eugene OR,  January 1st - March 22nd, 2024

At This Moment, McMillan Gallery, U of O Eugne, OR, January 5th - February 4th, 2024

Thirty-Two, OSU Memorial Union, Corvallis OR, April 1st - June 10th, 2022

The Healing Power of Art, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, Charles, Illinois,  January 8th - February 6th, 2021

Home Is Where the Heart Is, Lunaria Art Gallery, Silverton, OR. January 1st - Febraury 1st

Emerge, D'Art Gallery, Longmont, CO. December, 2020- January 2020 

Art in the Time of Coronavirus and Social Distancing,  Circle Foundation Annex Gallery, Lyon, France, Nov. 2020 - January 2021

“Relationships”, Webster Art Center, St. Louis, MO. Nov.  202

Get the Message: Words and Images, Arts Benicia, Benicia, CA, Nov. 2020

Art in the Time of Corona, Global Art Project, Los Angeles, CA. Oct. 2020

Boundless, Art Fluent, Sandwich, MA, Oct. 2020

Fresh Art, 2020 Marin Art Society, San Rafael, CA, Oct. 2020

Material 2, Norfolk d’Art Center, Norfolk VA, Oct. 2020

1st Annual Fiber Exhibition, Kansas City Stockyards Gallery, Kansas City, MO, Oct. 2020

Political Discord, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Oct. 2020

Women Making Their Mark, O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA, Sept. 2020

“RED”, Webster Art Center, St. Louis, MO. Sept. 2020

Artists Who Teach 2020, Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, Fayette, NC. Sept. 2020

Tradition Turns Contemporary, **3-person exhibition, Corvallis Oregon, August, 2019

The Journey, **2-person exhibition, Minthorne Gallery, George Fox University, Newberg, OR, Jan. 2019

Tronson Art Gallery, **invitational exhibition, Springfield, OR, Sept. 2018

Red Thread of Fate, ** solo exhibition Brick Lane Gallery, London, UK June 2019

Oregon Annual, Corvallis OR, 2018

North Arts, International Juried Art Exhibition, Minneapolis MN, April 2018

23rd Arts in Harmony International Exhibition, Hopkins, MN, March 2018

Symbols, Salem Art Association Salem, OR 2017

Choose Courage Foundation, Fort Worth, TX, 2017

Art Around Oregon, Corvallis OR, 2017

Annual Faculty Exhibition, LCC Art Gallery, Eugene, OR 2005 – 2017

Collective, Eugene, Oregon, 2017

Times of Reflection and Change, 2-person exhibition, Bend, OR 2016

"Madeline", solo exhibition GATA, Eugene, OR, 2015

From Here to There, Bend, OR 2014

Couples in Art, Eugene, OR, 2013

Exposed, photo exhibition, Eugene, OR, 2012

Memories of War, The New Generation, Eugene, OR, 2011

Women in Art, invitational exhibition, Eugene, OR, 2011

Me, solo exhibition, Sioux Falls, SD, 2010

Artists for Sale, Minneapolis, MN, 2010

Photographers, invitational exhibition, Eugene, OR, 2007

Exposed, Eugene, OR, 2007

Perspectives, 2-person exhibition, Eugene OR, 2007

Road Trip, Minneapolis, MN, 2007

Photographers, invitational exhibition, Eugene, OR

Artists Who Teach, Eugene, OR

29 artists, 29 works on the 29th, St. Paul, MN  

Collection, Northfield, MNHome Suite Home, Northfield, MN

Meditations on the Art of the Book, solo exhibition, Sioux Falls, SD

Boxes, 2-person exhibition, Sioux Falls, SD

Mixed, Minneapolis, Minnesota

To Have and To Hold, Minneapolis, MN

Photo Research Archives, Minneapolis, MN

Hotdish, Minneapolis, MN

Midwest Winter Exhibition, Wausau, WI

Research Exhibition, St. Paul, MN

Local 434 on the Move photographer, UA Journal,

Neolithic Pottery Collection, Archive Photographer, St. Paul MN

We should have been Painters, Minneapolis, MN

 

Presentations_______________________________

Art Talk, Guest Speaker, Chehalem Cultural Center, January 2019 

Brick Lane Gallery, London England, June, 2017 

"Modern Art History Series”, Guest Speaker, Lane Community College, 2010, 2012, 2014

“Artist Survival”, Guest Speaker, Lane Community College, 2008, 2009

“Artists in Education”, Guest Speaker, Minneapolis Art Institute Workshop, 2004

“UW River Falls Education Seminar”, Guest Speaker, March 2004.

“Women in Art”, UW River Falls, Guest Panelist, 2003

Visiting Artist, University for Kids 2001-2002

University of Minnesota

University of Sioux Falls, Visiting Artist, Guest Speaker, 1998

“Personal Introduction to Photography”, Gifted Youth Program,

University of Minnesota, Guest Lecturer, 1998

 

Publications_______________________________

“Art in the Time of Corona, Global Art Project”, Dab Art, Los Angeles,CA  February, 2021

“29th Annual League for Innovation”, Editor, 2014 -15

“Advanced Raku Techniques”, American Ceramics Society  ISBN: 1-57498-217-6, 2005.

“Who’s Who Among American Teachers”, 2003-2004

“Community Mural Project”, Shakopee Valley News, April 2001.

“Local 434 on the Move”, UA Journal, May 2000.

 “Photo- Sensitive Emulsion on Experimental Surfaces”, Research Contributor

  North Hennepin Community College, Photo Research, 1999

 “Photo-Sensitive Emulsions on Experimental Surfaces”, Research Contributor

  University of Minnesota, Department of Art, Photo Research Archives, 1998

 

Honors and Awards_____________________________

- Lane Community College Recognition Award: 10 years, 2015

- National Honor Society’s Teacher of Distinction Award, 2004

- Who’s Who Among American Teachers, 2003 - 2004

- Teacher of Inspiration and Commitment Award, Sept. 2001

- Teacher of Inspiration and Commitment Award, Sept. 2000