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 An Oregon native, I live in the small town of Cottage Grove, Oregon just outside of the Willamette Valley's wine country. My first love as a child was archaeology and I was always digging up rocks, sticks, feathers and rusty things, then studying and collecting them.I spend my time amazed by nature. I weave original one-of-a-kind vessels and assembled collages of multiple layers of weaving, stitching, tying, encaustic, and paint that work around the edges of traditional techniques. Most materials are hand gathered. A small listing includes, but is not limited to, seagrass roots, bull sea kelp, roots, beaver sticks, barks, willow and native grasses. Color works consist of 4 to 6 layers of random weaving, with every layer painted as the vessel is woven up, then over-dyed. Three to 4 finishing layers of surface design techniques are added, which would include reclaimed metals, drip lines, vinyl discs (recycled 45 & 78 records) or canvas paintings stitched with wax linen thread. Living most of my adult life in some of the most rural and wild areas of Oregon, the home of my heart is Oregon's south coast. Its river drainages have had a huge influence on my work. I have gathered willow in 100 mile per hour wind gusts (almost ripping the door off my van), undressed down to my underwear in snowy, icy November to wade across a river to get the best of the beaver sticks, and hiked the headlands to get a good view of the kelp beds I gather from, only to see whales swimming through. My work is in many public and private collections across the U.S. and overseas and has garnered several awards. It has been seen and written about in both regional and national publications. I am a self taught artist, and have taught weaving and lectured about contemporary fiber design for more than 18 years. If you're interested in workshops or retreats, please note that I do not teach kelp design or color work. In a workshop there is not enough time nor natural resources to do either of these techniques. However, there's a whole world of contemporary weaving techniques to explore and expand upon. Please email about designs, fees, or to be added to my mailing list. You can also make an appointment to visit my studio if you are in the area. I'm 20 minutes off I-5 south of Eugene, Oregon.
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