Portraits & Figures
Please click on the center of the first image to see entire painting
In the 90's
Watercolor
"In the 90’s" – Artist Statement
In the 90’s is a deeply personal watercolor series honoring my mother’s life after she turned ninety. Through this collection, I’ve sought to capture quiet moments of joy, resilience, and reflection—scenes that reveal not just what she did, but who she was. Whether sipping coffee from her china cup, reading, knitting, or holding her great-great-granddaughter Leah, each painting offers a glimpse into the daily rituals and enduring love that defined her later years.
But my mother was more than gentle habits and tender moments—she was a force of nature. A widow who raised six children on her own, she fished and hunted to feed her family, chopped her own firewood well into her eighties, and lived off-grid in the mountains without running water. She battled bears, carried water by hand, and when asked why she chose such a hard life, she simply said, "I love the animals and the beauty and solitude of the woods."
This series is a tribute to her pioneering spirit, her fierce independence, and the quiet grace she carried into her nineties. It is my way of preserving her story—with brush, paper, and love.
_______________________________________Born Blonde
Acrylic
Figurative and Portrait Work in Acrylic – Artist Statement
My figurative and portrait paintings in acrylic focus on the subtleties of human presence—gesture, expression, and the quiet strength found in stillness. Working with a structured, value-driven approach, I use bold contrasts and intentional lighting to emphasize form and mood. Each figure is more than a likeness; it’s a moment captured, a story told through posture, shadow, and restraint.
Rather than aiming for emotional drama, I let composition and value shifts do the work—often revealing a sense of introspection, dignity, or tension just beneath the surface. While rooted in realism, these works carry a quiet abstraction in their design, using space and shape to guide the viewer’s eye. Whether painting a solitary figure or a close-up portrait, my goal is to express not just what we see, but what we sense in the silence between.
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Mirror Image
Acrylic
Figurative and Portrait Work – Statement
In my figurative and portrait work, I’m drawn to the quiet moments—the tilt of a head, the tension in a hand, the weight of unspoken thought. I paint in acrylic, using light and shadow not just to define the figure, but to suggest what’s beneath the surface. These paintings aren’t meant to shout; they whisper. They speak of memory, solitude, strength, and the poetry of everyday people. Each figure becomes a vessel for reflection, not just of themselves, but of the viewer.
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Music
Acrylic
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African Festival
Watercolor
While traveling in Detroit, I ran across the African Festival. I was intrigued by the beautiful costumes and brilliant colors and the creativity in the festival. My focus is on lighting, texture, and unusual composition. My art is more mathematical than emotional. I focus on shapes and design. My work has been described as abstract realism.