“Unlike many artists who discover their vocations during their youth, I became interested in art in mid-life when I began to explore the tactile and textural qualities of three-dimensional pieces. The expressive possibilities in contemporary wicker fascinated me: the colors, the suppleness and diversity of the weaving elements, the feel and weight of the piece in my hands, the smoothly flowing shapes.”
“My pieces are constructed primarily of reed (rattan) because of its strength, long-life and flexibility. To achieve the rich colors and blended palettes that I use, I hand-dye the reeds with Procion dyes. These are fiber dyes that chemically bond with the surface of the reed and provided vibrant, long-lasting, light-fast colors that I can shade to suit my needs. When finished, each piece also receives a marine spar urethane coating for further protection against fading. In many of my creations I like to employ fabric that I’ve braided, natural fibers such as sugar palm, coconut or seagrass cordage and some native materials, such as sagebrush, willow, cottonwood or aspen, which I collect for added color and texture.
When you select one of my woven sculptures I am sharing with you my interpretation of an impression of the western landscape that as captured and intrigued me.