2025 Festival Exhibit Award Recipients

This body of work spans the from my first paintings on canvas to my latest large scale paintings. My first foray into painting emerged in a surreal dreamworld, where, as my latest work attempts to fuse that surrealism with current events. I believe we all need to stop, take a good look at society and let our voices be heard, as to what direction we want to take it. These two large works are based on videos out of Minneapolis in February. It seems that we are becoming immune to what we are witnessing. As we scroll, the images don’t stick. I want people to stop and notice, or at least one day, look back and remember what we allowed to take place.

I began my journey in clay more than 25 years ago, following a 12-year professional career in stained glass. Not surprisingly, my earliest ceramic pieces were slab-built, linear forms. Over time, my work has evolved into something more organic and free-form, shaped by a deep connection to the natural world and to the objects I gather along the way.

I am an unabashed collector of twigs, leaves, pods, rusty metal, and other found treasures. I rarely return from a walk or hike without something that sparks my imagination and inspires future work. I often incorporate organic materials into my ceramic pieces— elements that may shift, decay, or disappear over time. Their impermanence stands in quiet contrast to the fired clay, reflecting the fragile and transient nature of life. I describe my aesthetic as modern, organic, feminine, and industrial—a combination I find both compelling and energizing.

Equally important to my practice is being part of an active art community, forming friendships and collaborating with fellow artists here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Pablo Picasso