I’ve been a visual artist for over 20 years with emphasis in painting, collage and printmaking. I received an MA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA in 1994 and held numerous solo and group exhibitions. But shortly after graduating I stumbled into the US corporate world, staying there for over a decade, and alas the more I became immersed in this world, the less time I found for art.
Luckily, 3 years ago numerous life changes found me hatching a plan to leave the corporate world and the so-called American Dream. I opted live out of a backpack for 2 years with no specific itinerary and to “make art along the way” – a vague phrase to tell friends with no real concept of what would manifest (by design!), with a strong need to tap back into my artistic roots.
As a collage artist I collected bits-n-bobs found in the streets of all 13 countries I visited. These found objects made their way into personal collages made for friends I met along the way, telling stories of our experiences together. My “studio” consisted of a glue stick, needle/thread, and whatever table was available at the time. Each piece of art is now in the hands of a dear friend.
I started mural painting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as a way to get brush in hand despite living out of a backpack. The first mural depicted memories of the past 5 months traveling in South America – friends, lovers, biting dogs, touts – the American Dream had officially been replaced with the South American (& beyond) Dream. I went on to paint murals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Hoi An, Vietnam; Boulder, Colorado, USA; and Shillong, India.
Now, 2 years later, my travels have rekindled a passion towards my fine art practice that is being unleashed on Melbourne and Australia. I’ve recently settled into a studio at the St Kilda Bowling Club Artist Studios. My collage materials have arrived by sea and passed quarantine. The paint brushes are out and staying out. And I’m looking for walls to paint on again!
A word about my art practice:
My art centers around work that makes me (and if I’m lucky) others smile. Art that champions the mundane. That examines tiny details from a nearly scientific perspective. I’m heavily influenced by the past 2 years spent backpacking – comparing our westernized, materialist-centered lifestyle to the rest of the world. I was profoundly changed from seeing the world (literally) through wide-open fresh eyes every day – especially street art, indigenous and so-called ‘naive art’ (which I never think is very naive at all). In addition, as a student of Buddhism and Vipassana meditation, I’m exploring the path of self-actualization, humility and generosity – eternally examining our so-called modern condition.
“South American Dream”, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2006:
