Aloha,
and welcome to my website.
For 30 years I have been fascinated by images created on handformed (or handcast) paper. "Paper," my medium, is both substrate and sculpture. I draw, paint, printmake, and collage exclusively using my own, handmade paper. I make bas-relied and three-dimensional sculpture. Each completed work conforms to museum conservation standards. The images are consciously conceived from inside/out as though the fibers themselves dictated the outcome. I've explored the history of papermaking and its traditions. That very journey informs my work. Most of my inspiration comes from Polynesia and Hawaii. I have lived in Hana for 20 years and have just completed the construction of my home and art studio. Present in my work are the images of other places I've visited; Europe, Asia, Australia, Indonesia and Africa. The landscapes reflect old villages and rich cultures. Their myths and stories often find their way into my work.
I use 100% ph neutral cotton and other natural fibers. The paper pulp undergoes many transformations, vacumnformed and embossed it becomes a bas-relief or a freestanding sculpture. Grounds are made from claybody and pigments (like lapis lazuli, colored clay gessos, lotus root) and are applied to the top of the surface of the work. Being a classically trained artist, I enjoy the history of art which connects the old and new techniques. Paper offers me so many possibilities of experimentation. No matter what form the images result in: watercolor, oil paintings, collage or sculpture; each piece of art is absolutely unique.
Studio visits may be made by appointment and my work can be viewed at the Hana Coast Gallery at the Hotel Hana Maui as well as the Village Gallery in Lahaina.
