Layer Upon Layer

Working within contemporary lyrical abstraction, I create paintings in acrylic and mixed media through intuitive gesture and layers of color, line, texture, and marks. I begin without a predetermined image, then add, cover, scrape back, and revise as the composition develops. I continue until the different elements feel resolved and the painting holds together as a whole.

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Semi-figurative forms often emerge through this process, hovering at the edge of recognition. They may suggest bodies, landscapes, or emotional states without settling into a fixed image or narrative.

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The layers are not only part of my process. They reflect the way experience accumulates. Some parts remain clear, while others are altered, buried, or only partly revealed. At the heart of my work is the need to express my experiences, feelings, traumas, and joys more fully and honestly than words alone allow.

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Although each painting begins with something personal, I do not intend it to communicate one fixed story. I leave room for viewers to bring their own memories and associations to the work. This openness allows a private experience to become a point of recognition and connection.

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A Bit More About Me

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My paintings are held in private collections across the country, including the collection of a New York Times bestselling author. I have lived near the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and along the coastlines of the San Francisco Bay Area. I now live and create in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.

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Beyond the studio, I work to build community and expand opportunities for artists. I am co-founder and president of the Frankfort Arts Association and a Gallery Artist at Tall Grass Arts Association. Through exhibitions, programs, and collaborative projects, I bring artists and the public together.