This series of drawings and paintings reflects my ongoing interest in the power of ancient myths and pictographs to convey ideas and emotions. I enjoy the calligraphic style of pictographic communication and am intrigued by its simplicity and directness. In this work, I employ ancient pictographic languages, as well as modern pictographic symbols such as traditional hobo signs, graffiti, and my own invented visual vocabulary. I use these symbols to explore issues of the home and family—their physical and psychological relationship to one another, and to the surrounding environment.
The pictographs I portray are simple, yet expressive—heightened through the use of bold, emotive color. The surfaces of the works appear scraped, the strokes of color mimicking scratches—alluding to carved petroglyphs in stone.
I created the pastel drawings as working drawings for the final paintings. The final paintings are large and irregularly shaped, meant to reference archeological fragments.
One Person Exhibition, Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA, 1988
Mother, Pastel on Paper, 24″ x 19.5″, 1988, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, Pierce College – Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA
Life Circle, Pastel on Paper, 24″ x 20″, 1988
Totem, Pastel on Paper, 42″ x 10″, 1988, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, David Wolfle Elementary, Kingston, WA
She’s Got The Whole World In Her, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988
Houseperson II, Pastel on Paper, 25″ x 14″, 1988
Snake and Houseperson, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988
Snake and Labyrinth, Pastel on Paper, 22″ x 29″, 1988
He/She, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988, Private Collection
Home, Pastel on Paper, 22″ x 27″, 1987, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, Sunnyslope Elementary, Port Orchard, WA
Family Portrait, Pastel on Paper, 26″ x 21″, 1988
Houseperson I, Acrylic on Gaterfoam, 33″ x 38″ x 2.5″, 1987, Private Collection
Mother, Acrylic on Masonite, 53″ x 45″ x 2.5″, 1988
Full Circle, Acrylic on Masonite, 44″ x 52″ x 2.5″, 1988
Houseperson, Acrylic on Masonite, 76″ x 41″ x 2.5″, 1988
Womb Tomb, Acrylic on Gaterfoam, 36″ x 47″ x 2.5″, 1987
She’s Got The Whole World In Her, Acrylic on Masonite, 59″ x 42″ x 2.5″, 1989, Private Collection
Totem, Acrylic on Masonite, 76″ x 21″ x 2.5″, 1988, Private Collection
Snake and Houseperson, Acrylic on Masonite, 58″ x 45″ x 2.5″, 1988
This series of drawings and paintings reflects my ongoing interest in the power of ancient myths and pictographs to convey ideas and emotions. I enjoy the calligraphic style of pictographic communication and am intrigued by its simplicity and directness. In this work, I employ ancient pictographic languages, as well as modern pictographic symbols such as traditional hobo signs, graffiti, and my own invented visual vocabulary. I use these symbols to explore issues of the home and family—their physical and psychological relationship to one another, and to the surrounding environment.
The pictographs I portray are simple, yet expressive—heightened through the use of bold, emotive color. The surfaces of the works appear scraped, the strokes of color mimicking scratches—alluding to carved petroglyphs in stone.
I created the pastel drawings as working drawings for the final paintings. The final paintings are large and irregularly shaped, meant to reference archeological fragments.
One Person Exhibition, Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA, 1988
Mother, Pastel on Paper, 24″ x 19.5″, 1988, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, Pierce College – Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA
Life Circle, Pastel on Paper, 24″ x 20″, 1988
Totem, Pastel on Paper, 42″ x 10″, 1988, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, David Wolfle Elementary, Kingston, WA
She’s Got The Whole World In Her, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988
Houseperson II, Pastel on Paper, 25″ x 14″, 1988
Snake and Houseperson, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988
Snake and Labyrinth, Pastel on Paper, 22″ x 29″, 1988
He/She, Pastel on Paper, 30″ x 22″, 1988, Private Collection
Home, Pastel on Paper, 22″ x 27″, 1987, Washington State 1% For Art Purchase, Sunnyslope Elementary, Port Orchard, WA
Family Portrait, Pastel on Paper, 26″ x 21″, 1988
Houseperson I, Acrylic on Gaterfoam, 33″ x 38″ x 2.5″, 1987, Private Collection
Mother, Acrylic on Masonite, 53″ x 45″ x 2.5″, 1988
Full Circle, Acrylic on Masonite, 44″ x 52″ x 2.5″, 1988
Houseperson, Acrylic on Masonite, 76″ x 41″ x 2.5″, 1988
Womb Tomb, Acrylic on Gaterfoam, 36″ x 47″ x 2.5″, 1987
She’s Got The Whole World In Her, Acrylic on Masonite, 59″ x 42″ x 2.5″, 1989, Private Collection
Totem, Acrylic on Masonite, 76″ x 21″ x 2.5″, 1988, Private Collection
Snake and Houseperson, Acrylic on Masonite, 58″ x 45″ x 2.5″, 1988