Recent Works
Cosmati Meditations
The Cosmati Pavement of Westminster Abbey, dates back to the Middle Ages, is integral in the coronation of the English monarchy, and holds great symbolism. Leading up to the coronation of King Charles III, I was able to learn more about the pavement where the coronation ceremony took place. The pavement contains intricate geometric designs on macro and micro levels. I was captivated by the pavement itself and what I learned about the history and symbolism. In this series I have explored the wealth of geometric designs and given serious consideration to the symbolism and meaning in this masterpiece. I have not attempted to make an exact copy of the pavement, most of the designs have been altered in some way but were drawn with a ruler and compass, the same tools that would have been used to create the pavements design originally. The colors were created from a limited pallet of handmade watercolors rather than the colors of the stone and glass that make up the pavement. I’ve tried to combine what I’ve learned with my own understanding via symbolism.
Geometry in Bloom
Geometry, patterns, and proportions are deeply ingrained in the world around us, including in plant life. I enjoy spring flowers and blossoms and was struck one day, by the similarity between a geometric pattern I love to use, and the flowers of a forsythia, a flowing bush. I created one painting which then turned into a series and led me to closer observation of the local flowers and blossoms. Through this series I have been analyzing the geometry of the flowers found in nature and enjoying their designs.
Mountain Variations
This is a series of variations on a theme began with a challenge from a mentor to work bigger, to let the colors and paint shine through and to paint directly rather than drawing. The challenge also included not overworking the pieces, to that end I stopped at a lovely stage of a painting without achieving my original goal. I still wanted to capture my idea and started a second version, that also didn't end up being what I set out to create. Multiple versions later the original idea is still elusive and I'm learning to listen to the painting and notice lovely moments and happy accidents.
This series began as a challenge from one of my mentors, Dr. Lisa DeLong, to work bigger, let the colors and the paint shine through, and not overwork the paintings. With those instructions in mind, I set out to paint a single mountain scene that I encountered one morning. In the process of that painting, I stopped earlier than intended because some lovely things were happening. I still wanted to capture my original idea and so I undertook a second painting, then a third, etc. It’s been an interesting thing to stop and appreciate the moments that can happen as a painting develops and to consider how similar or different variations need to be. I think I’ve finally reached what I was hoping for with my original idea and now I’m looking to see what I can find in other mountain scenes.
This series began as a challenge from one of my mentors, Dr. Lisa DeLong, to work bigger, let the colors and the paint shine through, and not overwork the paintings. With those instructions in mind, I set out to paint a single mountain scene that I encountered one morning. In the process of that painting, I stopped earlier than intended because some lovely things were happening. I still wanted to capture my original idea and so I undertook a second painting, then a third, etc. It’s been an interesting thing to stop and appreciate the moments that can happen as a painting develops and to consider how similar or different variations need to be. I think I’ve finally reached what I was hoping for with my original idea and now I’m looking to see what I can find in other mountain scenes.
Longing For Home
This series is about longing for home and the mountains of Utah when I was an ocean away during the pandemic. I've lived all of my life until the last two years in Utah, in valleys surrounded by the mountains and with easy access to the outdoors. For the last few years I was far from home, surrounded by tall buildings, without much access to green space, and quite isolated during the pandemic. During this time mountains came to represent home to me and all the people, things, and places that I was missing.
This series is also about longing for a spiritual or heavenly home. I think across many belief systems individuals can find themselves longing for a heavenly or spiritual home. Mountains are there between the earth and the heavens. In the same way that mountains became a symbol for me of my physical home, mountains can also be a symbol of bridging that gap, reaching towards that home.
This series is also about longing for a spiritual or heavenly home. I think across many belief systems individuals can find themselves longing for a heavenly or spiritual home. Mountains are there between the earth and the heavens. In the same way that mountains became a symbol for me of my physical home, mountains can also be a symbol of bridging that gap, reaching towards that home.
Creation Manuscript
As the culmination of my master’s studies at the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, I studied Western European illuminated manuscripts and then undertook to create my own. In the Middle Ages books were rare, precious, and often limited to religious orders and the wealthy. In this day and age, books are widely available, and information is at our fingertips via technology and so I wanted to use illuminate to celebrate what has become common and ordinary. After studying historical manuscripts and learning some of the techniques that went into creating them, I felt inspired to illuminate texts from my new world, Christian faith, on the creation. For ease of display the paintings are not bound in a book, but I still wanted to create a manuscript with carpet pages, a title page, as well as a geometry piece, illuminated calligraphy, and an illustration for each of the seven days of the Christian creation. I wrote the text in textualis quadrata, a script traditionally used for copying out Bibles, with handmade iron gall ink which was traditionally used in illuminated manuscripts. I gilded my pieces with 23 carat gold, white gold, silver, and copper leaf. I used handmade watercolors to paint these pieces, some of the pigments were prepared by hand as well. Bringing together traditional techniques and materials for a more modern manuscript has been an incredible journey and would not have been possible without the help and teaching of many, especially Paul Antonio (calligraphy), Helen White (gilding), and Dr. David Cranswick (paint).
Ceramic Works
Pieces glazed on ready made ceramics and hand made and glazed tiles. Made for the MA program.
MA First Year Work
Work from the first year of the Master of Traditional Arts program at the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts, 2019-2020, with some additional work from the second year.
What Meets the Eye
I use traditional drafting tools including a compass and a straight edge to create geometric patterns and designs. One of the things that I love most about these designs and patterns is that the possibilities seem to be endless. I’ve also been surprised at the life lessons to be learned from these techniques and designs. Traditionally the construction lines do not appear in a final piece but I enjoy seeing the process. As with most people and situations there’s more to a design than what appears on the surface, there’s more than what meets the eye.
Unity and Difference
I use traditional drafting tools like a compass and a straight edge to create geometric patterns and designs. Each one of these designs is created from a pattern begun with a circle. The circle is a symbol of unity but it can also be the beginning of thousands of geometric designs. One of the things that I love most about these designs and patterns is that the possibilities seem to be endless. I’m constantly surprised at the amount of unique designs I’m able to create but there are many similar examples in nature of unity and diversity. Within the human race there are billions of individuals with the same basic make up and yet no two people are exactly the same. It’s amazing that art is relevant to so much more than mere beauty.
Somewhere in Space and Time
A series of loosely connected paintings set somewhere and some place but nowhere and time in particular. These paintings are watercolor and some are accented with pastels. I enjoy creating landscapes and scenes combining things I love, geometry and geometric designs, patterns and symbolism.
Eight Fold Designs
I was introduced to the art of compass and straight edge construction in college; it was amazing to discover all the different shapes, patterns and designs that I could create with two simple tools. My delight and discovery continued and I eventually found the beautiful world of Islamic geometric designs and a whole new type of designs and patterns that could be created with my compass. I have been studying and drawing these beautiful and complex designs ever since. I have been told that within a pattern there is room for endless variety, there is some logic in that and yet it also seemed that a pattern is what one uses to make things the same. I decided to put this to the test and see how many different geometric designs I could make from the same base pattern, inspired and based in Islamic designs. I’ve since created 100 designs using a compass and straight edge and the possibilities are far from being exhausted.
To see the whole series as it progresses, visit my facebook page.
To see the whole series as it progresses, visit my facebook page.
Designs
Drawings
Finding Home
The biblical prophet Abraham spoke of himself as a stranger in a strange land. I think that many, if not all people have similar feelings at some point. Inspired by that thought, the work of Wulf Barsch and the great renaissance artists such as da Vinci, I have been working on a series of pieces around the theme of "Finding Home". Through the use of symbolism and archetypal design, I have worked to instill a sense of searching for that 'paradise lost' of something remembered, now gone in these pieces.