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The Weight of All That Is

“…stone of the mind within us carried from one silence to another…” ~Carolyn Forché, The Museum of Stones

About twenty years ago, I hit the preverbal wall. Since then, the struggle to overcome the mental weight of seemingly insurmountable obstacles has become the central theme of my art.

The paintings in this series feature a motif of large ovoid stones central to the composition. These shapes are a representation of the current heaviness of today’s socio/political climate (amplified by social media) and the effect this has on my personal struggles with depression and anxiety. The scale of these stone shaped forms, balancing precariously within their surroundings, projects a sense of tension not unlike that which we feel when faced with subjects and situations we’d rather not acknowledge; much less discuss openly.
"Avalanche" 16"x20" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Tectonic Plates" 16"x20" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Tsunami" 16"x20" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Seismic" 18"x24" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Cairn I" 12"x12" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Cairn II" 12"x12" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Cairn III" 12"x12" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Carin IV 12”x12” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Striking A Balance 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Worry Stone I" 10"x10" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Worry Stone II" 10"x10" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Bedrock" 14"x28" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private Collection, Sherrills Ford, NC
F5 14”x28” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Beneath the Surface I 18”x18” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Beneath the Surface II 18”x18” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Beneath the Surface III 18”x18” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
It’s All In Your Head 7.5”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Contagion 7.5”x11” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private Collection, Sherrills Ford, NC
Terra Scar I 18”x24” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Terra Scar II 18”x24” Mixed Media on Paper mounted on cradled panel
Rolling Stones I 4”x4” Mixed Media on Paper on Panel (framed) Private Collection, Salisbury, NC
Rolling Stones II 4”x4” Mixed Media on Paper on Panel (framed) Private Collection, Salisbury, NC
Rolling Stones III 4”x4” Mixed Media on Paper on Panel (framed) Private Collection, Salisbury, NC
"Glacial Geology I" 14"x28" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
"Glacial Geology II" 14"x28" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Rift 7.5”x18” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Plunge 16”x20” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Calves 40”x26” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Fathom 40”x26” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Precipice 40”x26” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
Surfacing Slowly 48”x48” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private collection, Hickory, NC

Aggregate

Difficulties are a part of life. It is how we deal with those difficulties that determines our character. It’s been a tough couple of years and I don’t think I was consciously trying to express my struggles in these works but, nevertheless, they found their way into these paintings.
Stepping Stone Mixed Media 16”x20”
Natural Bed Mixed Media 10”x10” Private collection - Lincolnton, NC
Shiva Lingam Mixed media 16”x20” Private Collection: Rock Hill, SC
Megalith Mixed Media 8”x8”
Tremor Mixed Media 8”x8”
Landslide Mixed Media 16”x20” Private Collection: Rock Hill, SC
The Last Stone Mixed Media 20”x30”
Hag Stone Mixed Media 8”x8”
Fault Line Mixed Media 8”x8”
Inertia Mixed Media 8”x8”

The TRIO Project - Working Title Farm
(2019-2020)

It begins with a book.
One book is given to both a songwriter and a visual artist. They write a song and create a work of art inspired by the book they read fulfilling their TRIO. Each TRIO will travel to museums, galleries, and literary events throughout the following year.
I was asked to do two book for TRIO 2019 and two books for TRIO 2020, and also served as curator or art for TRIO 2020

"The Devil's Vine" 16"x20" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Created for the book "Secrets of the Devil's Vine"by Faith Kaiser Private collection of the author
"Plan B" 20"x30" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Created for the book "Walland" by Andrea Thome
"Sister Ruby" 8"x10" Cyanotype Fabric Collage with Embroidery Created for the collection of poetry "Lindy Lee: Song on Mill Hill"by poet Kimberly J Simms
"Totem" 18"x24" Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Created for the book "Witch Hairs"by Dixie Gamble

Every Woman’s Heart

I came across a quote that read, “Every woman’s heart bears a burn mark” and
so I decided to explore the images this brought to mind.

“Anguish” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private Collection, Loveland CO
“Scar Tissue” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private collection, Lincolnton, NC
“Home Sick” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
“Marking the Nights” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
“Scorched” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private collection - Kings Mtn, NC
“Fissure” 10”x10” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
“Where There’s Smoke” 11”x14” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel
“You Should Have Known I’d Learn to Fly” 16”x20” Mixed Media on Paper on Cradled Panel Private Collection, Wilmington NC

Older Works

Picture
"Reveal" 2013     9"x13" unframed (acrylic on paper)
Best of Show 2013 - Gallery 27, Lincolnton NC
​Private Collection - Hickory NC
"Cold Edges" 17"x25" Acrylic on Paper 2013
"Connections" 8"x12" Acrylic on Paper 2013
"American Goddess No. 1" 24"x48" Mixed Media on Paper Private Collection Rock Hill, SC
"Alien Landscape" 20"x30" Mixed Media on Paper 2007
"Evolve" 20"x30" Mixed Media on Paper 2007
"Yellow 13" 20"x30" Mixed Media on Paper 2007
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