Contemplation 4 Collage

After a lifetime of training primarily the left side of my brain in accounting, I decided it was time to give the right side of my brain an equal opportunity to grow. I was very fortunate to find an art teacher who could give me the tools and the inspiration to explore my own artistic style, to find my own artistic voice. I have studied several media with Chery Baird, including painting, collage and mixed media drawing, but I have also been enriched by many courses in composition and color theory, as well as specific studies of the use of temperature, line, and value contrast. I continue to explore a variety of techniques and styles in the creation of abstract non-objective art. I love the open dialogue that abstract art creates between the art and its beholder. I have been especially drawn to the use of collage in creating complex abstract pieces celebrating the richness of color, shape, and texture. My love for collage has led me to create an enormous variety of handcrafted papers for use in my projects, so that both the designs and the materials are uniquely my own. I currently live in the city of Marietta in the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2019, I had the wonderful opportunity to paint a large mural of one of my abstract designs at the Marietta Square. The mural was commissioned as part of the M2R (Mountain to River) Trailfest. I have been asked to add to my mural this year, tripling its size, but COVID concerns have delayed the project. I look forward to the chance to enrich my community further with public art. As I continue to learn and grow as an artist, I hope you’ll enjoy the way my artistic vision develops.