Introduction

I’m currently engaged in a body of work that is, primarily, a search for a visual language to express and memorialize what I consider “sacred”. I think of my work as ‘monuments’ to those things which I associate with identity, relationships, ancestry, and various other influences. My work also investigates transition and movement through color and composition.

Secondarily, I use my work to express the ambiguity I feel with my identity. A large part of my art deals with covert and overt Indian-ness. Through my art, I consider the concept of personal identity, the loss and invention of personal and group identity, and the often ambiguous identity of individuals and groups who occupy intersectional space inside an oppressive culture.

I am also creating work that considers and confronts the artificial line between “craft” and “art”. The word ‘craft’ has often been used to dismiss or diminish work by women and People of Color; I am engaged in looking for ways to push against this. Lastly, I am rediscovering print as a medium and am in the initial stages of relearning before moving on to creating.

Below is a curated gallery of recent work, both in progress and finished. Please click on a thumbnail to read more about the specific project.

 

Painting – 
I work mainly in oil on canvas or wood using a combination of indirect and direct painting methods. I have also worked in acrylic on both canvas and wood.

Bead Work –
Current projects include a very large in-progress sculpture (center) and small bead work done in 11/0 glass beads on leather or Pellon (left and right).

 

Print – 
I just recently returned to print making. I prefer the relief printing method (lino-cut) and am working through registration techniques for multi-color work. I’d like to explore woodblock printing at some point in the near future.

 

Preparatory and Value Study Sketches –
Drawing and sketching are a huge part of my studio practice. I work nearly everything but color out in these sketches.