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STATEMENT OF WORK
Current and personal events shape the direction of my series of theater curtain paintings which I call Act Three. I needed a completely neutral outlook in order to move forward after a very difficult seven year period which was fraught with serious health issues. The series moved beyond the personal to encompass local, national and world issues. Several recent paintings are an offshoot of the Act Three paintings without the use of the stage set. These paintings contain curtains and subjects which are not placed upon a stage. These curtains are used less dramatically, but still imply the possibilty of either opening, or closure. They mostly represent personal or environmental issues.
I often sew objects onto these paintings. These objects are a nod to my grandmother, who was an excellent seamstress. She raised four children on her own and made sure that they all graduated from college. Her perseverance and fortitude has been a constant source of strength for me. Many of these paintings include old buttons or glass beads that are stitched onto the pieces, often representing water.
Growing up in close proximity to New York City my family went to the theater as much as possible. My first live theater experience in New York was with an elementary school field trip. After graduating from college I moved to NYC where I lived for 16 years. I worked as a book designer for several publishers in and around the city during this time.
In 1995 I moved to Missoula, Montana with my husband who is from Montana. For a town of roughly 75,000 people, Missoula has a lively arts community which I am happy to be a part of. I miss the vibrancy of New York, but I try to get back there a couple of times a year to go to museums and galleries and to catch a live show.
The curtain paintings reference the theater and live performances which have always been inspirational to me. The theater reflects truths about our culture and our lives, and has always held up a important mirror that allows us to see ourselves and our society more clearly.