Flame Painting

Growing up on a dead end dirt road in a small coastal village I experienced a deep connection with the natural world. My paintings explore the tension between nature and the elements, destruction and regeneration, exuberance and impermanence. My art speaks about power, grace and transformation in a world of uncertainty. Several years ago I began adding collage elements to my paintings. I like the surprise these elements add to my work - a smashed can, a feather. My marks and textures create a richness and solidity to the imagery. I create the composition using charcoal and paint. I draw, splatter and drip with ink and paint; then I enlarge on the composition with my various oddments. My method of layering and juxtaposing disparate materials draws attention to the multiplicities and mysteries of nature and life.