Power Form II Print

I was born in Baltimore, and raised in the countryside nearby. The hills, woods and streams surrounding our home fueled my interest in nature. I had a pony—and was able to ride out early in the day and returning at dusk--which gave me a sense of independence and adventure that I have to this day. Artists who have influenced me include Kiki Smith, May Stevens, Judy Pfaff, Van Gogh, (particularly his brilliant drawings; the Australian sculptor Ron Mueck, and Louise Bourgeois. I draw inspiration from the world around me, specifically the overwhelming diversity in nature, and the dynamic and profound events being experienced in our lives. I trust that every human has the capacity for artistic sensitivity, but some individuals develop that awareness to make things which are tangible. Those 'things' have a place in history Paint is my favorite medium, although I have also created conceptual room installations, tableaus, and painted satirical art. Painting engages my acute sense of color, of spontaneity, and spirituality. Structure and composition are equally vital to me—I create a lens through which you see my world. I have a Master of Fine Arts from Howard University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Maryland in College Park. In the mid-1980s, I had the opportunity to paint with Leon Berkowitz at the Corcoran School of Art. I served as technical assistant to Marjorie Moore in painting, at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, in 1994, and in 1995, served as assistant to Paula Winokur in clay. In 2006, I was assistant to Norman Akers in painting at Penland School of Crafts. My painting Demons Without Faces was purchased by Joe Hirshhorn in 1981 at auction, and is part of the Hirshhorn Museum’s permanent collection in Washington, D.C. My work is also in Colorado’s Art in Public Places (AAIP) collection at two sites, and in private collections in Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Seattle, Maryland, Virginia, Chicago, and California.