The summer after my first year in college, a friend taught me to weave belts on a small inkle loom. That was the beginning of my 40+ years journey into art and craft. I studied weaving at Penland School of Crafts and at California College of Arts and Crafts before returning to University of Colorado to complete my BFA degree.
After graduating, l began developing ideas for handwoven fabric wallhangings. I set up a studio in Denver in 1978 and began working with interior designers, architects, and individuals to create custom wall pieces for residential and commercial interiors.
I moved to Kansas City in 1985, continuing the work I began in Denver. I studied “surface design” in the Fiber Department at the Kansas City Art Institute. This new experience of designing and painting patterns for printed fabrics soon led to a transition in my work from woven fabric art to woven paper art. I began creating paintings on paper that were torn into strips, crinkled for texture, and woven on the loom.
Eventually, I returned to Denver and soon decided to leave the fiber arts behind. I gave my loom away and I took a break. I began exploring printmaking a few years ago, with a focus on monotypes. I discovered watercolor monotypes in a workshop with Sue Oehme.The process immediately felt very natural. After struggling with oil based inks, the transparency and fluidity of the watercolor paint has allowed me to create work that feels more true to my vision, more connected to my textile history. I paint abstractly on many sheets of vellum, thinking about color, texture, pattern, and movement. The challenge is to accept the “not knowing” where I am going and to let myself be carried along in the process. The best part is letting the paint dry before printing on wet paper. It allows me to cut and combine pieces from different paintings to create an image to be printed.
