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Artist’s Statement
“Outrageous elegance”, a Buddhist concept, describes a manner that is approachable by being neither too cold (elegance alone) nor too wild (outrageousness alone). This term is an apt description of the beauty, joy, humor and absurdity I strive for in my art. I am interested in grand visual and physical forms that introduce and induce awe and wonder. I make opulent abstract gardens that invoke spirit and paradise. I have been beading organic abstractions that descend from ceilings or ascend walls. They reference a mix of ornamental styles such as quilts from my Appalachian roots, the art of interior surfaces like rugs, Islamic and Asian textiles and screens, as well as environments that inspire awe such as the Sistine Chapel and the gardens at Versailles. My work induces pleasure by unabashedly embracing abstract ornament.
