Into the Storm

acrylic and enamel paint on aluminum and wood veneer, glue, illustration board, 30x30, 2007

Following the death of a loved one, one is in an intense emotional storm. I painted on aluminum, in contrast using idealized gold tones, to symbolize ordinary traumatic events.It could be any "storm" besides grief.I added a yellow dab of paint to illustrate hope.

Evironmental political and religious themes fuel my mixed media exploration. On my deck, looking at cedar trees, I dab paint to jazz or classical music beats onto salvaged wood, veneer or canvas.
In reaction to the "flat" criteria in Tom Wolf's book, 'The Painted Word,' I overlap painted wood strips, cut holes in canvas, stand up painted recycled plywood. Why flat, squared paintings? Why not combine painting with weaving and sculpture? My work illustrates literal depth and ethnic intersections.

As a NW Native, the natural and cultural environments influence my art. As a teen I traveled back and forth between my mother's house in Kirkland and my father's house in a Yupik Eskimo town near the Bering Sea. My grandfather, a Swedish immigrant, built houses throughout Seattle, plus my childhood home. I began painting as a child, thanks to the gift of Japanese watercolors from my aunt and uncle, Pbillip and Anne Gronquist, both professional artists. I am classically trained with my Seattle Pacific University BA in Fine Art.