artist bio

'There arose gigantic before her the edge of a world of such incredible dimensions that she was breathless at the faint hint (Charles Williams).'

Bio

I put my interest in creating art on the back burner for a couple of decades as I pursued my more analytical side and interest in science. I went on from there to pursue yet another interest, education. I have a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Purdue University. I then went on to work in the field of Science Education for many years with a passion for educational reform influenced by some lofty philosophical ideas about curriculum, contextual thinking, and students active in designing their own learning experiences. Thinking Contextually

Part of my philosophy is based in the Science, Technology, and Society movement where students are active in learning science through societal issues and they are active in their own communities.

The Philosophy, Theory and Practice of Science-Technology-Society Orientations

I became very interested in how others and the general public define science. Many times, that definition of science was restrictive as well as the definition of technology being limited. I also became very interested in Indigenous science and agriculture and how that differs from the nature of scientific knowledge that is gained through experimental research. Even science knowledge based on more qualitative or observational research typically takes place over a much shorter period of time and originates from a different world view.

Graduate Seminar in Science Education (reading on science, technology, and society)
Qualitative Research Methods in Science Education

Fate led me back to my artwork in the summer of 2002. While I was waiting for assignments on some consulting work to come through, my dog and I would venture in the neighborhood, often behind a little shopping area and park. I could not resist scavenging for found objects, typically some rusting metal pieces, and other recyclables. I learned to make paper and integrated the found objects in my pieces. Fortuitously, I even found schredded white paper used as packing and employed the large flat styrofoam packing pieces to dry my work on. My only costs were for a kitchen blender found at a thrift store! When I realized my kitchen and living room were completely taken over with my finds, materials, drying paper pieces, and bowls of colored paper slurries, I decided this might not be sustainable for now.

About the same time, I bought my first digital camera opening up a whole new world, a freedom to take as many pictures as I wanted. Then, I became determined to learn Photoshop and manipulate photos. Night and day for a couple of months, I toiled, determined to gain minimal knowledge so I could use it more effortlessly. Since then, I continue to experiment with this medium. It has opened a whole new world for me in creating. Where I use to get frustrated with painting being somewhat painful as it was not a very spontaneous experience and I always overworked the pieces. Working in a digital medium allows me to be more spontaneous, I make hundreds of decisions when creating a piece, but each decision discarded or saved. Many times, I have different version of the piece I am working on. Some pieces have a large number of layers involved, I can simply click on a layer and make it invisible, bringing it back later if desired.

My current prints are photography based digital art. The process of creating my digital artwork is iterative. I do not preplan a piece from beginning to end. I let the work emerge as an interaction of the image or images and with the feeling or concept I get from them. Sometimes the concept changes because the image speaks differently. At other times, the image changes to better portray a concept or feeling. I do not follow a ceratin technique or philosophy although I am enamored with many like 'magical realism' and how that connects to my philosophical leanings. Most of my pieces have a connection to my underlying philosophical leanings and as I create a work I find it helps enrich, refine, or broaden my view of the world.

I have had an immense struggle to come out of the closet so to speak. Digital art is not fully accepted as on a par with painting or other conventional mediums. My first printer told me, "If you don't tell anyone, they will not know your prints are not from paintings." I tried so hard early on to make it so no one would see the photographic elements in my work. Well, it worked, especially when the print is a Giclee or on certain types of paper. However, the first time I printed my work on photographic paper, I was amazed. I was even further amazed when I realized the depth it had with proper lighting. When a young artist said to me recently that it did not have the same qualities as paint and canvas, I explained that art made with this medium could not really be compared to painting and is much more akin to photography.

Recently, I have also made it apparent in some of my works that photography is the basis, although, I am anxious to print my work on different papers and surfaces also as well as integrate the digital work in mixed media projects and usable art forms. I feel from here on out my digital work will evolve to yet some other realm, not knowing myself what that will be yet. Art also opens up possibilities for me to integrate other forms of art like writing and poetry, connect my art to social issues, and to collaborate with others.