I’ve always been a lover of paint. I vividly remember the excitement I felt opening that rectangular tin filled with round cakes of watercolor paint in elementary school. From that point on, I have wanted to explore and express within the inviting purity of paint.
In 1988 I had a beach side shop where I hand painted women's clothing. I was using acrylic paint in abundance! One morning I had cleaned my palette off, and had peeled a large colorful piece of variegated and textured acrylic paint from it. Some friends of mine came into the shop (actually it was my minister and his wife). During our brief conversation, I showed them the peeled up paint and said, “This is too pretty to throw away, but I don’t know what to do with it.”
The husband said, “Oh, you should cut it up and make it into jewelry!”
We all laughed about it. It was like "Yeah right, I should try it!”
After they left I thought "Wow, that could have been an answer to prayer! I should do it!” I cut it up, glued earring posts on the back, and put them on little cards with the hand painted shirts. And they started selling!
That year I discovered that the dried acrylic paint, peeled from the artist palette, is a wonderful material for jewelry. Since then I have evolved the process and techniques, but still start each piece with the dried paint peeled from the artist palette. This year I celebrate 30 years of Parts of Art.
In 1988 I had a beach side shop where I hand painted women's clothing. I was using acrylic paint in abundance! One morning I had cleaned my palette off, and had peeled a large colorful piece of variegated and textured acrylic paint from it. Some friends of mine came into the shop (actually it was my minister and his wife). During our brief conversation, I showed them the peeled up paint and said, “This is too pretty to throw away, but I don’t know what to do with it.”
The husband said, “Oh, you should cut it up and make it into jewelry!”
We all laughed about it. It was like "Yeah right, I should try it!”
After they left I thought "Wow, that could have been an answer to prayer! I should do it!” I cut it up, glued earring posts on the back, and put them on little cards with the hand painted shirts. And they started selling!
That year I discovered that the dried acrylic paint, peeled from the artist palette, is a wonderful material for jewelry. Since then I have evolved the process and techniques, but still start each piece with the dried paint peeled from the artist palette. This year I celebrate 30 years of Parts of Art.
I work on several pieces at a time, designing, composing, layering and constructing. The artwork is abstract; it is about composition, line, balance and texture. Within the artistic process there is a certain affinity, a rapport that is developed between the artist and the art. When designing and building each piece, I allow that rapport to develop like a visual conversation. Each piece is done when it says it is done.
I am motivated by a great desire to get it right, design it better, bring new depth or texture to my work, discover a better way to showcase the essential elements of design. I am committed to showing up at my studio, because art is my chosen profession, and I am going to make art whether I feel creative and inspired or not. What happens is once I show up, turn on the music and start handling the acrylic paint pieces and the beads, the creative flow begins.
Forms in nature provide inspiration daily, as do other artists. I am inspired by collage illustrator Eric Carle, metal sculptor Alexander Calder, French impressionists and the old Renaissance masters. I love visiting art galleries and enjoying the textured surface of paint on canvas that tells a story without words.
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