statement

My artwork presents invented landscapes that are composed of multiple layers of drawings and photos built up to create complex, dreamlike panoramas. The works are cultural and experiential interpretations of place, rather than literal or geographic depictions. For content material, I investigate architecture, found objects, and natural features of chosen locations. Intermixing this variety of imagery provides a way to create discordant and lyrical depictions of relationships between the natural and man-made worlds.

The aesthetic of my work is based on my ability to render objects in a natural way, which comes from my training as an illustrator. I begin each piece with classical perspective, but I often break it or deny the consistency of the structured space. Images from various times and places and of various scales share one picture plane. Several visual constants˜the panoramic scene, the bird‚s eye view, and the overlapping linear approach to depiction˜allow for storylines to emerge through cumulative viewing.

I enjoy combining traditional printmaking and drawing with contemporary digital processes. Scanned sketches and digital photographs are compiled and reworked to provide structures for larger pieces. I build layers of information as a way to encourage connections among disparate images and also to evoke a sense of memory and history. My animated video Doorways follows man-made constructions and processes of nature as the scenes flow through various worlds. The result is a poetic view of our world evolving, freely combining space and imagery to explore the inevitability of change and the quirks and unplanned directions of development.

bio

born: 1972

education:

University of Minnesota, MFA in Printmaking, 2007
School of Visual Arts, MFA in Illustration, 1999
Kalamazoo College, BA, 1994