Artist Statement: “Step Out of Time”


When I began my current series of work almost four years ago, I was thinking about women, and their place in society throughout history. This idea kept me focused on the objects and symbols that spoke of the females’ powerful influence, despite the gender-based discrimination that we still see today. I looked at a period of time starting from the 1920s on, and read many articles and books on this topic.

I reread the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer. I found myself connecting with the goddesses that were involved in the story, and was impressed by their independence and intelligence. This vision of “the goddess”, after thinking about the ideal woman living in our society, was like a revelation; maybe we could have it all! It was empowering both visually and spiritually to know of the females’ strengths and attributes. At one point in my reading, I remember stopping and saying the words out loud “Athena rules”! It made me realize that the Greek goddesses were truly the first feminists.

I was excited to be working on an IDEA, and not just observing reality, because the imagination can create images that are equally strong. The medium that I chose for creating this series was collage. The cutting and layering of the papers felt consistent with the layers of history and interpretation of philosophy and thoughts. The colors I used were representing what was fashionable and symbolic for that particular goddess. Color was also connected to other things like stones and gems that had emotional, royal and spiritual meanings.

The research for the show was interesting historically, but also revealed the themes and differences between loyalty and vengeance, what is “God -like” and what is “mortal” and what is interpreted as power and weakness.

The heroines of Greek mythology make us think about our individual and unique strengths. The gods never thought that they weren’t in complete control (especially Zeus), but the goddesses knew better. They inspired women throughout the centuries with their power and independence, transforming from mortal reality into goddesses. 


Artist Statement: “In the City”


About three and a half years ago, I was gazing out a ground floor window on Columbus Avenue, when across the street I saw a very striking image.  It appeared in front of me as a horizontal composition in black and white that was direct, concise and looked like a complete and finished painting.  In reality, it was a brick wall shaped like most horizontal brick walls with three or four bare skinny trees planted and standing directly in front of it.  The trees had no leaves, because of winter. But what I was seeing was a beautiful image that I had to draw immediately.  That was the beginning of the idea for my most recent series of artwork.  I continued drawing these cityscapes or environmental inspirations in many different locations throughout the city.  I didn’t want them to be known or famous tourist attractions or spots.  I preferred the less obvious, or even the backs of the buildings.

The focus was more about the juxtaposition and combination of geometric or architectural buildings, combined with the organic and natural lines and shapes of the trees or nature.  My interest was the visual connection between the flatness of the background, which was the wall, abutted against the graphic lines of the trees.  It had what I call “flat depth”, which created an immediate illusion of a deeper space that continues to motivate me.  I was thinking about the elements of what makes up art, rather than the environmental effects of trees in the city (although I also care about that).  I was looking at the visual changes between the hard edged lines and shapes, contrasting with the organic or natural forms.

The height and angles from where I worked became important, and whether I worked inside or outside depended on the weather.  I realized that the environment that I was in and surrounded by had always played a big part in influencing the choice of my images.

Color is a major focus, along with line and shape, in my work.  My images are mostly based on composition and the slowness or immediacy of the moment.  I’m also very conscious of the visual differences between inside and outside environments, and how they influence my and the viewer’s moods.  My location also affects the rhythm and pace of the individual piece of art that you see.

This series consists largely of drawings, which are the main starting point for my understanding and appreciation of a subject, and which later can be translated and transformed into more abstract images, using other mediums to create paintings and prints.  However, I also see drawings as final and finished art.  In my work I like to show the differences between reality and imagination, and the contrasts between art and the real world.

In my interpretation of the City, the buildings were often seen representationally, but using an abstract space, and sometimes I visualized them as patterns or grids.  Their beauty seemed to rely on the compilation of lines, shapes and colors of the buildings, and they seemed to vibrate and move throughout the picture plane, with an overall movement and pulse.  The buildings’ exteriors had a human energy projecting through the open windows, which gave each window an individual feeling, and the whole building a unique personality.  Every day is a new one, and the visual interpretations could be many, depending on the environment, which is always in flux.  The strong contrasts and nuances of New York help maintain the intrigue and interest of looking at and being in the City.

 

EDUCATION

1987 M.F.A., Columbia University, School of the Arts, Painting and Sculpture Division,

New York, NY

1985 B.F.A. with Honors in Painting and Illustration, Carnegie- Mellon University, School of the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2019 Step out of Time, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2014 In The City, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

1998 Siesta Series, Viridian Artists Inc., New York

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2013     Endings & Beginnings, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2012     Yin/Yang:  Fusing Complementary Opposites, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2011     Moved, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

Holiday Presence, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2010      Art 2010, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2009      All the Best, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2007      Viridian Artists at Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York

2006      A Reality/Whose Reality, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2005      Inklings, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

You/Us, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2004     The More the Merrier, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2002     Gatherings, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2001     Inner Muse, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

Elegy, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

2000    Now, Viridian Artists, New York, New York

1999 MAPRA Maison des Arts Plastiques Rhone-Alpes, Lyon, France

John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NYC

1998 Cornucopia, Viridian Artists Inc. NYC

1997 Small World, Viridian Artists Inc., NYC

Under the Sun, Viridian Artists Inc., NYC

1996 Artists and Friends, Viridian Artists Inc., NYC

1993 Wall to Wall, TRIBECA 148 Gallery, New York, NY

The Living Room Show, A/B Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

1987 Celebration of the Arts, The School of Arts at Columbia at Symphony Space, New York, NY

Graduate Thesis Show of Painting and Sculpture, Columbia University, New York, NY

1985 Three Artists: Paintings and Prints, Forbes Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

Fine Art Originals, Inc., Year-long exhibition of paintings and drawings, Fort Lauderdale, FL

1982 Emerging Artists 1982, Pittsburgh Plan for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA

PUBLICATIONS

1987 Poster and program cover design for Celebration of the Arts at Symphony Space

Quarto: A Collection of Poetry and Essays, Two prints reproduced. Columbia Press.