Tidal Changes - Artist’s Statement

Ebb and flow.  Rise and fall.  In and out.  Water connects us all.  Water moves throughout our entire lives.  Water, in and of itself, is connected to all other water.  We are born of it, we are mostly comprised of it, we may die from it.  Constantly changing, it carries us to new places and also crashes over us, destroying all around.  Both peaceful and powerful, water symbolizes the many life changes whether we like it or not, but it also provides us with the solutions.

Changes may be abrupt or gradual.  A tsunami of trauma can permanently change a life in a split second.  Gradual erosion wears away at seemingly solid foundations so slowly that we do not even notice the change.  How ironic that the same water provides a solace for escape and renewal.  

I use the fluidity of paint and wax, both molten and solid, to translate my emotions from the water to the painting.  When tragedy strikes close, my therapy is floating freely and painting fluidly.  Although I have clear intentions of how I want to use the medium to interpret events, I also know when to let go.  Painting leads me to new destinations and those new places inevitably are a place of calm and solace.

The past few years have seen a wave of extreme changes—from sudden and traumatic to gradual and soothing.  I am grateful to have the gift of creativity to process the emotions, both positive and negative.  Ebb and flow.  Rise and fall.  In and out.