Personal Themes
Several paper paintings deal with personal themes, including Divorce, Self Portrait, Sister, Cousin, and the Anorexic. These paintings use India ink, gouache, and watercolor on gessoed brown paper. Four studies precede each painting. As early adult work, they are hard-edged abstractions. Intense colors, with strong contrast of white and black, intertwine with levels of gray. The brown paper, with paint applied over gesso, offers a unique variation of textural qualities to the pieces. There are movement, engagement, conflict, and struggle, like a mirror into my childhood. The four studies lead to larger paintings on white paper with no texture, and a large canvas, reminiscent of Picasso.
Palm Tree Series
With one parent living near the Pacific Ocean and the other near the Atlantic, I fly back and forth and eventually end up in the Midwest. I spend one visit to California drawing and painting the beautiful palms. Using mixed media, India ink on white paper, with white oil pastel and watercolor, I see the fine line between drawing and painting. These have a variety of lines, with their directional pull, and small linear details. One of my favorite trees abstracted, the Palm Tree Series has strong contrast and is filled with energy.
