I apply equal attention to both media and message in my work. Art does not save the world in any overt way. It does not feed starving children in Somalia , nor does it immunize one against AIDS. What it can do is create an environment of beauty, or present a challenge or critique of society, that shapes individual and mass consciousness on various levels. My attempt is to incorporate social and psychological critique into an aesthetically beautiful object. I present a contemporary mental and emotional challenge, couched in the more traditional visual language of color, form, compositional balance, and texture. It is a sort of a trick to suck the viewer in. I attract the eye, and then make one think.

The eyelessness of many of the faces suggests dreaming, meditation, or other explorations of issues not immediately apparent on the surface. Like the symbolists of the early twentieth century, I believe that certain concepts lose their power when expressed directly through words. Instead, they must be addressed through poetry, or suggestive imagery. However, this would not be a satisfying statement if I did not briefly describe some of the issues that several of the pieces deal with.

In our technological culture, which is based in a Classical reverence for reason and rationality, we deny our animal, physical, and ultimately mortal, nature. Several of these works confront our culture's puritanical horror of anything relating to the human body, replacing it with a sort of glorification of the body and its functions. In Nurse, the breast in the purse suggests the physical, animal beauty that humans hide beneath a decorous exterior, while referencing historic attitudes toward the female body as a social commodity. The blinded faces of Vapid describe isolation and filtered worldview created by formulated lifestyles. Other faces suggest self-absorption, while some suggest dreaming or a passing beyond the physical, visual world.

Though I do considerable research for my work, accessing both contemporary and historical sociology, psychology, politics and literature, I prefer not to explain too much. The audience should interpret for itself; a pat explanation causes the work to be dismissed too quickly. I intend that the eye of the viewer be captured by the oddity and aesthetics of the image, which then slowly unravels itself in the back of the brain.

EDUCATION

Spring 98 Photography and Casting classes; Pima Community College, Tucson AZ

96 - 97 Salt firing classes; Mesa Center for the Arts, Mesa AZ

Spring 96 Post-baccalaureate studies; James Madison University Metals and Jewelry

95 - 96 Classes with Phil Unger, professional potter

1995 Cum Laude from James Madison University;

BA in Fine Arts and English. Minor in the Honors Scholars Program

EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS

2005

Solo Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tuscon AZ

2003

"Lights, Camera, Action" Group Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson AZ

Awarded The Artists' Materials Fund Grant, by The Contemporary Forum of the Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix AZ

"Black and White" Group Exhibition at The Temple of Music and Art, Tucson AZ

Delivered slide show and lecture for the "First Mondays Art Salon Series," Burton Barr Central Library, Phoenix AZ

Delivered slide show and lecture for the "First Tuesdays Art Salon Series," Main Library, Tucson AZ

2002

"New Works in Paint," a national juried exhibition at Mesa Arts Center, Mesa AZ

Two-Person Exhibition at G2 Gallery, Scottsdale AZ

Delivered slide show and lecture for University of Arizona

MFA students

Donated piece to Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation's "Festival of Life" fundraiser. Group Exhibition, Alamo Gallery, Tucson AZ

Solo Exhibition at the Shemer Art Center,

Scottsdale AZ

Group Exhibition traveling to Italy and Mexico. Catalogue available

"Clean and Pure," Two-Person Exhibition with Harmony Hammond at The Museum of Contemporary Art, HazMat Gallery, Tucson AZ

Solo Exhibition at The Historic Hotel Congress Gallery

Group Show at The Gallery at the Temple of Music and Art, of Etherton Gallery

Delivered slide show and lecture sponsored by POG. Honorarium

"Ready, Set, D'Art," Group Show and Fundraiser at the Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson AZ

2001

Two-Person Show at G2 Gallery, Scottsdale AZ

"Embodied," Three-Person Show at Gallery 299, Tucson AZ

Featured Artist, East End Gallery, Telluride CO

Group Show at Elizabeth Cherry Gallery, Tucson AZ, to benefit the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter

"After Van Gogh" Group Exhibition, The Temple Gallery, Tucson AZ

"Works on Paper" An Arizona Commission on the Arts Traveling

Exhibition Program

Group Exhibition at Metroform Gallery, Tucson AZ

"Health and Safety in the Arts" a Group Exhibition at the Tucson Pima Arts Council

Solo Exhibition at Central Arizona College Arts Gallery

1999-2001

Member and Board Vice President of Dinnerware Gallery, Tucson AZ

Group Show at Running Start Exhibition Space, Tucson AZ

2000

Two Person Exhibition at Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery, Tucson AZ

Annual Member's Group Exhibition at Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson AZ

Donated work to the Dinnerware Contemporary Arts Annual

Auction Fundraiser

"Where the Wild Things Are," Group Exhibition at RAW

Gallery, Tucson AZ

Group exhibition at Metroform Gallery, Tucson AZ

Group Exhibition at HAZMAT Museum of Contemporary Art

Tucson Pima Arts Council; Grant Awards Group Show. Cash Award

Work displayed at Apparatus Gallery, Tucson AZ

1999-2000

Work displayed in Member's Gallery, Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson AZ

Monthly Group Shows at Derailer Exhibition Space, Tucson AZ

Work displayed at Canyon Ranch Resort, Tucson AZ

1999

Work displayed in Member's Gallery, Dinnerware Contemporary

Arts, Tucson AZ

Featured Artist, East End Gallery, Telluride CO

Group Exhibition at Dinnerware Gallery, Tucson AZ

Annual Member's Exhibition, Dinnerware Contemporary Arts,

Tucson AZ

Group Exhibition at Hacienda Del Sol Gallery, Tucson AZ

Work displayed at Hacienda Del Sol Gallery, Tucson AZ

Exhibition at Alamo Gallery, Tucson AZ

Exhibition at Red Light District Gallery, Tucson AZ

Group Exhibition at Apparatus Gallery, Tucson AZ

1998-1999

Work displayed at Art One Gallery, Scottsdale AZ

Work displayed at Datura Art Gallery, Tucson AZ

1996

Exhibition at Joshua Wilton Gallery, Harrisonburg VA

Exhibition at the Studio Art Shop Exhibition Space, Harrisonburg VA

1995

Winner of the James Madison University Art Achievement Award

"The Feminine Octopod," a solo exhibition at Zirkle House Artworks Gallery, Harrisonburg VA

1994

Two-Person Exhibition at Zirkle House Galleries,

Harrisonburg VA

MEDIA AND REVIEWS

Spring 03 "Color Barrier," Group Exhibition Review, The Tucson Weekly, vol 20, #11

Winter 03 "New Meaning for Everyday Items" Feature Article,

The Arizona Republic , January 25, 2003

Fall 02 "The Bread Bed" Exhibition review, City Week section,

The Tucson Weekly, vol 19, #32

"The Bed Bread" Interview for Channel 13 evening news segment, November 16

Selected as "Best Visual Artist in Tucson " The Tucson Weekly's 16th Annual Best of Tucson Issue, vol 19, #30.

Spring 02 "Muck and Mirrors" review and photograph in

The Tucson Weekly, vol 19, #12

Photograph and mention in The Tucson Weekly, vol 19, #10

Mention in The Tucson Citizen, June 20 issue

Listing in Caliente!, May 21 issue

Winter 01 Mention in The Partnership News, a publication of

The Tucson Arts District Partnership

Spring 01 Two-page feature article in The Desert Leaf newspaper, Tucson AZ

Television Interview in Studio, conducted by Kim Monke,

Channel 12

Featured work on The Arts District Quarterly cover, a publication

of the Tucson Arts Partnership

Fall 00 Half-hour television interview representing Dinnerware Arts on Tucson Cable

Mention in The Tucson Weekly, October 12 issue

Listing in Art in America, August issue

11/99 Exhibit review in The Tucson Weekly

Photograph and mention in The Tucson Weekly

01/95 Full-page review of "The Feminine Octopod" solo exhibit in The Breeze newspaper, Harrisonburg VA

03/94 Review of group show; The Breeze newspaper,

Harrisonburg VA

WORK EXPERIENCE

2002 Taught high school painting classes through the Arts In

Reality program

99 - 02 Assistant to Mark Rossi, professional sculptor

2000 Vice-President of the Member-Artists' Volunteer Board,

Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson AZ

Chair of the Exhibitions Committee, Dinnerware Contemporary

Arts, Tucson AZ

Co-Chair of Annual Auction Fundraiser Committee, Dinnerware

Contemporary Arts, Tucson AZ

1999 Board Member, Dinnerware Contemporary Arts, Tucson AZ

1998 Assisted public works artist Simon Donovan

96 - 97 Assistant Director of Le KAE Galleries, Scottsdale AZ

Volunteer docent at Arizona State University Art Museum