Having grown up in a creative family my affinity for drawing and painting was encouraged as a child. It wasn't until attending UCSC that I received my first official art instruction as a member of the Scientific Illustration program during my last year at the university. Years after graduation I began taking printmaking courses offered at our local community Cabrillo College in the evenings. From the first night class I was hooked - I continued to learn traditional etching methods over three years with several instructors including Paul Roehl, Howard Ikemoto and Julie Connell.
In my practice I have stepped away from the traditional acids, metal plates and solvents that are found in many printmaking studios. By using non-toxic materials and printing methods I've established a safe space to teach and create. Located in the middle of a garden my studio is equipped with a Griffin IV press, large work surfaces and abundant natural light.
I enjoy creating series of monoprints and mixed media pieces with a focus on the play of color, transparency and repeating abstract botanical forms. Shadows and ghost images support pigment-rich shapes creating dynamic surfaces in my most recent series including Abundance, Perennial and Rainforest. My collection is well archived and constantly growing.
My work hangs on the walls of over seventeen University of California and Kaiser Medical facilities including Campbell, Scotts Valley, Davis, Roseville and Watsonville and has been exhibited in numerous national art competitions as well as at venues such as The Monterey Museum of Art, The Bolinas Museum, The Springfield Museum and The Triton Museum.
I am lucky enough to live in Santa Cruz, California with my husband, Michael and our labrador, Charlotte. Thank you Crystal Birns for the studio photo shoot!