The Inspiration You Give. Oil on canvas. 3.5 ft X 5ft
This painting manifested from a desire to work from my original inspiration to create art, VanGogh's sunflower and iris paintings. Many years ago, circa 1994, I gazed daily at a poster given to me as a Christmas present, turns out it had a profound, lasting impression on my psyche. I have continued to create art, and have built my life around an inner, creative fire. For this painting, the final layer of detail was applied using Holbein oil paint, leading to vibrant, lively color throughout.
Duality Series
In the Shadows. 88 x 110cm watercolor, colored pencil & graphite on paper
State of Healing. Watercolor & pencil on paper 88 X 110cm
Wabi Sabi
Buddha with Lotus - mixed media printmaking
Buddha with Lotus. Mixed Media.
Birding in Sri Lanka
20 x 30in., watercolor, pencil and pen.
20 x 30in., watercolor and pencil
20 x 30in., watercolor, pencil and pen.
Spotted-bill Pelican, Yellow Eared Bulbul, Velvet Nuthatch, Sri Lankan Swallow, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Red-vented Bulbul, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Painted Stork, Loten's Sunbird, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Grey Heron, Brown Fish Owl, Brown Headed Barbet, White Throated Kingfisher, Chestnut Headed Bee-eater, Asian Palm Swift, Black Hooded Oriole, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Black Bulbul, Rusty Rumped Warbler, Grey-Headed Canary Flycatcher.
bird of paradise flowers - study for large painting
watercolor. 8 x 8 inches.
bird of paradise flowers in the style of Van Gogh's iris' and sunflower paintings.
Recent Sketchbook Pages
Stitching Sylvia's Journey
Sri Lanka. 2019 - 2021
Future Destination: Japan 2021-
Pennsylvania. 2016 - 2019.
Belgium. Birth - 2016.
Rumination on the Horizon Line
watercolor, colored pencil on paper. 3X 88 x 110 cm
Winter Fiber Arts
March 2019 Embroidery 13"
February 2019 Felt, machine stitched & embroidery 6" x 8"
Cold, wintery weather lends itself for creating new textile and fiber art. I recently borrowed a couple of fiber arts books from the library and was inspired to pick up my embroidery needle again and sit by a cozy fire! The embroidery hoop is the perfect frame for displaying this finished piece, the circle hoop as a continuation of the circular batik pattern of the background.
These Messages
18" x 20" watercolor & pencil, November 2018
If we could only listen to what they were saying, maybe we could use their knowledge to help heal. This painting was created using watercolor washes with pencil overlays. Inspiration comes from so many sources, this piece was inspired by the Ted Ed presenters Camille Defrenne and Suzanne Simard discussing the importance of root system communication.
Family Tree
3ft X 4.5ft watercolor & ink, June 2018
A new person springs forth from the roots of two established trees. She forms her own roots, but draws strength from each tree. The background was created using an abstract landscape watercolor wash, followed by ink drawing and watercolor painting overlays.
Felted Creations
felted and embroidered mushrooms in glass terrarium
trio of felted succulents in terracotta mini pots
Eco-printed & Mono-printed Book
Eco-printed cover with feather mono-printed pages. Basic stiff leaf structure with image as hinge
Paper-cut Carousel Book
Large Italian crepe paper flower for Sylvia
I am really happy with the way this flower turned out. The Italian crepe paper is far superior!!
Book Making
Demos created for my class at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design 2017
Collaborative Adventures
Mystical Magical Monarch
-watercolor painted by Sylvia (age 20 months) w/ pen overlay drawn by me (age 34 years)
Take Flight -watercolor painted by Sylvia (age 14 months) w/ pen overlay drawn by me (age 34 years)
Sad, Simple Stories Part 1
This is a sad and simple story.....this book is the first in a new series of small textile mixed media books focusing on the sad and simple truth about our current environmental crisis.
Skateboard Deck
oil on wood. August 2016
Linoleum Block Printed Baby Book
5 linoleum block prints, board, handmade paper. June 2016
Refugee Life Jacket
Life jacket w/ mixed media. May 2016
Each life jacket represents someone who depended on an object to remain alive. Holding the jacket and working with the material I could not escape the overwhelming presence of this unnamed person who wore this jacket throughout their tumultuous journey. I have transformed this life jacket into a beating heart to represent a human life; elevating the inanimate, stagnant object into the organic realm.
Learning Enough to Survive ...a transformation of my French-English dictionary
French-English dictionary, walnut ink, pen, felt, thread. April 2016
This is my last year in Brussels and I am still not even close to fluent in French, or Dutch. Here I have taken an old French-English dictionary found in a "free" bin and transformed the book with illustrations of edible botanicals.
Gao Xingjian inspires me....
ink, watercolor and pen on paper. 2 panels, each 88cm x 110 cm. February 2016
I recently saw an exhibition of Gao Xingjian's amazing ink paintings at the Royal Museum here in Brussels. In a tucked away gallery hang 6 extremely large scale ink on canvas evoking the subconscious, and was inspired to get back into large ink washes. Here I am exploring an abstract landscape with foreboding skies juxtaposed with colorful, clueless hot air balloons. Possibly a work in progress, possibly finished.... Then I used one of the panels as an example of stop motion for my studio art students.
Sunrise in fabric
Sunrise. Fabric composition. 36 in. x 12 in. December 2015
Ginger Lemon Tea
charcoal on paper, 24 x 36 in.
Last week one of my students asked if the still life was a worthy choice for an artwork....my response was oh, my goodness, absolutely! The skills required, the skills that can be fine tuned and developed. There is a tradition of studying the still life, one that I feel should be embraced and frequently revisited.
The Unconscious Process of Human Growth
The Unconscious Process of Human Growth, hand-bound book with mixed media prints/drawings. Approx. 30 cm x 140 cm. October 2015
Life Within
watercolor and pen on paper 73 cm x 110 cm. January 2015
Figure Studies
Paul Klee inspires me....
watercolor, pen and pressure release print on paper. 11" x 17"
watercolor and oil on paper 11" x 17"
On my last trip to the Tate Modern in London, I had the pleasure of seeing a traveling exhibition of Paul Klee's work. I was particularly inspired by several pieces and have been trying to replicate the ideas in my own way. The yellow watercolor was inspired by several works composed in a style similar to Cliff Firs from 1925. The second painting was inspired by Lowlands from 1932. More to come.
Collective Memory II
oil on wood, 3 panels each 45 x 70 cm
Floating in a Perilous Sea II
oil on canvas. 45cm x 70cm
Qu'est ce qui nous units?
pencil and charcoal on paper. 88cm X 110cm (each)
365 days of Hope Versus Hopelessness
A 365 day project....always something that has appealed to my productive, ambitious side as a way to light the proverbial fire under my much less motivated side. I have been thinking about basing work this year around a central theme; Hope versus Hopelessness. One piece of art (or small series) will be produced everyday for the next year. The artwork will be based on Hope or Hopelessness, depending on which feeling is tipping the scale in my mind on each particular day between today and June 21, 2014. The work will serve as a testimony to the ebb and flow of optimism and pessimism in regards to the state of the world, it's people and the environment, as well as, my own internal landscape. Throughout the year, I will showcase a sampling of the pieces.
Poppy Fields
Poppy Fields, oil on canvas, 50 cm X 70 cm
Collective Memory
charcoal, paint, and ink on paper.
88 cm X 153 cm
Pacific Northwest College of Art
In July I had the great pleasure of traveling to Portland and taking a two week class at P.N.C.A. The class was titled "Printmaking Inside and Outside the Frame," and it was taught by an amazing printer, James Reid. The facility, P.N.C.A. faculty and students were nothing short of amazing. I started each day with a bike ride across town, and ended with a head full of creative ideas and blissful exhaustion. The printmaking studio was at our disposal for any and all printing pursuits. I focused my time on screen printing, photo-lithography, copper etching and letterpress.
"Floating in a Perilous Sea" 2012. (Etching and lace print)
"Empty My Mind and Fill My Heart" 2012. (screenprint and photo-lithography)
(close up of "Empty My Mind and Fill My Heart")
"Unravel" 2012. (lace print and letterpress)
"Floating in a Perilous Sea" 2012.
(Etching and letter press)
Unearthing What is Still Alive...
watercolor on paper 30" X 22"
An event, moment, dream or significant thought is usually what fuels my artistic fire. Often life feels too complex for genuine expression through words. This watercolor is a testimony to feeling speechless after a gut=wrenching moment of impact.
detail of the bottom left corner
"Unearthing What is Still Alive"
Papercuts
As We Lie Dreaming....
watercolor on paper 30" X 44"
Empty My Head and Fill My Heart
graphite and watercolor on paper
30" X 132" (3 panels)