When I began to paint, I didn’t know what to explore in this medium. As a jeweler, one of my first decisions was to make pieces that were wearable, and that helped me define what came next. On a white canvas, I could go anywhere, and this freedom was intimidating. I remained stuck for months.
At first, I tried to paint what I saw, then what I imagined. I explored realism and figurative work, but felt freer with abstraction. I used paint as a way to express myself, but then gravitated towards drawing. I drew organic, then geometric shapes. Then I got lost in trying to integrate the background into the foreground.
Finally, I decided to paint what I would normally make into jewelry. I realized that my emotions and inner reality are naturally expressed in each visual choice I make, no matter what medium I use. The subject is the vessel that contains who I am.
This series integrates what I previously explored in ceramics, jewelry and printmaking. It includes my love for primal shapes, folk art and textiles. By narrowing my focus, the doors opened to endless possibilities.
The Coronation of the Virgin.
12” by 9.25” (30.5 cm by 23.5 cm).
Acrylic on paper, 2019.