statement

My work is a mash-up of classically painted figures and contemporary iconography.  It is rooted in the figurative narrative tradition.  Packaged goods, brands, and familiar imagery/context contemporize and symbolically support my narratives.  Personal biographies, fairy tales, and mythology provide inspiration for my paintings. My subjects, even in my visual biographies, take on archetypal characteristics and convey familiar narratives.  

Working in mixed media, I rip, tear, and distress the initial layer in my work my work before completing the painting in oils.   I want my work to feel timeless, handled and used; like a story that I've heard somewhere before.  

Our relationships with contemporary iconography and narrative archetypes are part of our collective experience.  The goal in my work is to create resonance between them and shine a light on the contemporary poignancy of old tales.

bio

education

Gage Academy of Art, Drawing and Painting Atelier
Dartmouth College, MBA
Seattle University, BA

selected awards/honors

The William Radcliffe Studio Challenge Award, Kirkland Arts Center, 2011
First Place, Best of Gage Academy, Juror Derrick Cartwright, Director Seattle Art Museum, 2010

selected solo or two-person exhibits

All City Arts, Waiting for Prince Charming, Seattle, WA, 2011
Archetypes and Lucky Charms, Georgetown Arts Center, Seattle, WA, 2010
Ding Dongs and Destiny, Bauhaus, Seattle, WA, 2010

selected group shows

Susan Eley Fine Arts, New York, NY, 2012
ArtsWest Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2012
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN, 2012
Whatcom Museum, Fate of the Forest, Bellingham, WA, 2011