Radiant Flow: An exploration of light, texture and form

Painting is the way I express feelings about my experiences in nature. I use bold colors of images remembered from travels in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. These are the places I know and love. Rivers, rocks, flowers, lakes and glacial features evoke abstract forms and lines. I work on several canvases at a time, allowing memories to evolve and combine into an abstract composition. I use acrylic paint combined with drawing tools on linen or canvas. My painting practice is a peaceful meditative process, which I hope generates a story that resonates and provides joy to the viewer.

I have always been drawn to the natural world for inspiration —whether it’s leaves, trees, animals, flowers or patterns. Water and flow are recurring themes. I notice the sense of ‘flow’ in the shapes and forms of the gourds themselves. Gourds, with their earthiness and almost infinite variety of shape and form, communicate to me and I listen. 

I use a variety of techniques when making my gourd creations. They include wood burning, carving, staining them with bright colors and sometimes embellishing them with natural objects and fibers.

I am a multimedia artist from the plains of Kansas. I became astonished with the gorgeous natural beauty of Minnesota in my youth, headed north and set up my studio in Wayzata. 

Nature moves me deeply. Everywhere I look, I study and see potential for my art. With my camera, my hiking boots and my paintbrushes, I strive to capture moments of beauty and connection. 

I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Kansas and have always tried to touch the lives of others through creative, artistic vision. Art to me is an expression of my life’s journey. 

I hope to spark a feeling or a memory of your own through this form of silent, visual poetry.