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ARTIST STATEMENT
In 1972 following a cross-country road trip which cemented my love of photography, a good friend published the first male nude calendar in this country…..it was called, “Ladies Home Companion” and came on the heels of that heart-stopping Burt Reynolds centerfold in Cosmopolitan Magazine. The calendar, comprised of sepia-toned, elegantly vignetted and discreet photos, caused quite a stir in the early 70s. I was thrilled when my photo of a friend on a La Jolla, California beach was selected for the Time Magazine story on this not-your-run-of-the-mill calendar.
A few years later I used my photography and darkroom skills as Public Relations Director for The Women’s Professional Golf Tour, and later yet, as Production Manager for Bo-Tree Productions, a calendar and greeting card publisher in Palo Alto, California, I was exposed to many different styles of creative works there and discovered that opening up packets of submissions was as thrilling as opening presents on Christmas morning.
I continued to do my own photography during this period and realized it was a terrific way for me to make “marks” on paper. The camera became my paintbrush. I now recognize that the act of shooting the image has always provided a spark of pure excitement for me; altering the image later, however, with inks or paints or pastels, is wondrously soothing. Today, my favorite thing is to combine photographs within a mixed-media work...this seems to yield my feeling both the excitement and the relaxation practically at the same time.
Some of my recent photographic work includes a series on Italian Architecture and mimes in Florence, Italy. I love creating art with found objects. Antique ceiling tiles, French magazine covers from the early 1900's and antique door knobs strike my fancy and often end up in my mixed media pieces. Currently, I have completed a series of mixed media pieces and pewter pendants based on the Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth constructed in 1201.
Inspired by my love of poetry, I spearheaded a poetry reading series at Gallery DeForest in 2007 and 2008. This series will continue at the gallery's new location in 2009.
