Artist’s Statement

I am an artist, a storyteller, and a perpetual explorer. I’m always curious—drawn to the possibilities each new medium, tool, or technique presents. My studio practice is rooted in experimentation and driven by a desire to reflect the complex relationships between the natural, built, and political environments.

As a native Californian, I’m profoundly shaped by the region’s dramatic landscapes and ecological volatility. I’m fascinated by the intricate, often uneasy relationship between human activity and the natural world—a tension that unfolds in cycles of restoration and degradation. In recent years, my art has increasingly focused on conservation and the accelerating impacts of climate change—especially following a formative trip to Kenya that inspired my current photo-encaustic series, Dawn or Demise: Images from Sub-Saharan Africa.

I work in acrylic, oil/cold wax, and encaustic—an ancient technique using heated beeswax and damar resin—often incorporating photography, various printmaking techniques, and collage to create compelling narratives. I’m especially captivated by encaustic for its luminous, ethereal qualities, unparalleled depth, and its unique capacity to build rich, textured surfaces. Across all mediums, I find joy in the tactile processes of layering, scraping, and reimagining.

Art is where I find refuge and resilience. Living with a chronic illness has shaped my perspective and deepened my belief that a creative practice can be both a sanctuary and a catalyst for change. I make art to soothe, to question, and to awaken. I hope viewers find something familiar, evocative, or quietly urgent in my work—and feel inspired to look closer and reflect deeply.

Biography

After practicing law briefly, I shifted course in response to a life-altering health condition—and art became both a healing outlet and a vital means of personal expression. My creative roots run deep: I was immersed in the arts from an early age at the Brentwood Art Center in Los Angeles, founded by my parents. As a teen, I fell in love with sculpture, welding junkyard remnants into found-object pieces with an oxy-acetylene torch. Years later, my practice evolved when I discovered encaustic. I was intrigued by the seductive scent of beeswax, its molten consistency, and its transformative nature.

I studied English literature and art history at Pitzer College in Claremont, California, and earned my law degree from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly University of California, Hastings College of the Law). Over the years, I’ve taken classes at Kala Printmaking Institute and the Richmond Art Center, and studied with renowned encaustic educators including Jeff Hirst, Lisa Pressman, Paula Roland, and Dietlind Van Der Schaaf.

In 2022, I co-founded NorCAL Wax, a local chapter of International Encaustic Artists (IEA), to build community and foster support among encaustic and cold wax artists. I live in Albany, California, with my husband and our dog, Tucker—who proudly considers himself the studio’s true supervisor. I’m deeply grateful for the thriving lives of our two grown children, who remain a meaningful part of my world. I create my art both at home and in nearby Berkeley at Hideaway Studio in the Strawberry Creek Design Center.