Artist statement

I am inspired by the outdoors and world travel.  Ideas come to me as I collect castaway objects from the shores of the ocean, rivers, and lakes.  These found objects- such as toy cars, beach glass, rocks, pottery shards, bottles and spark plugs, combined with colorful venetian smalti- become letters in the alphabet that I use to narrate the stories told in my work.

I have been an artist all my life and have recently been drawn to large garden mosaic sculpture.  I have enhanced my knowledge by taking various art classes at local colleges and workshops.  In addition to mosaics, I have experimented in many medias, including painted canvas floor cloths, welded garden sculpture, jewelry, and made concrete statuary.  

My work has been exhibited in international juried shows including The Garden of Art International Sculpture Exhibit (2001) and the Society of American Mosaic Artists (2004, 2006, 2009).  I've exhibited at galleries in the Berkeley Area, including ProArts, Turn of the Century Fine Art Gallery, the Richmond Art Center and Stained Glass Garden, where I teach.  My community works include a fountain at the Finnish American Home Association in Sonoma.