I use locally foraged earth pigments from stones, ochres, clays and botanicals found in Santa Cruz and Watsonville to make abstract and representational paintings. They come from wild, windy cliffsides, serene creeksides deep in the forest, and 500 feet deep under the ground, unearthed by the digging of water wells. After the intimate process of foraging these pigments from our nearby environment, I grind, levigate and mull them into paints, using the traditional tempera technique with egg yolk as binder or handmade watercolors with foraged binder of acacia or plum tree gum. When using the handmade mixtures, I try to let the expression of the paintings embody the nature of the pigments themselves, as what they are made of is a part of what they are about.
Based in Santa Cruz County, California, I’ve been making art in, from and about my natural surroundings since before I can remember. Main themes that continue to show up in my work are:
the use of materials that can’t be bought in a store, are foraged from the wild or reused from the human world;
layers, overlapping realities, and combination of abstract and representational imagery.
Education
1992-1996
University of California at Santa Cruz - Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art
Emphasis in mixed media and drawing, 1996
Nominated for Irwin Scholarship, 1996
1989-1990
Studied art at Jonan School (Japanese calligraphy, woodblock printing, drawing, sculpture) Kyoto, Japan
Studied Japanese tea ceremony and flower arrangement under Urasenke school in Kyoto, Japan
Exhibitions
2022:
-"Alma Sagrada: Cultivando Ritmos Naturales/Sacred Soul: Cultivating Natural Rhythms", Invited Artist, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- "This is Now", Tri-Gallery Group Show of the Visual Arts Network, Radius Gallery participant. Santa Cruz, CA.
- “Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
2020:
- Tri-Gallery Group Show of the Visual Arts Network, R Blitzer Gallery participant. Santa Cruz, CA.
- "Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
2020:
- “Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
- “Hearts for the Arts”, silent auction to benefit arts education, Artisans Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
2019:
- “Watsonville Wine Beer and Art Walk”, participating artist, Watsonville, CA
- "4th Annual Watsonville Community Paint Day”, volunteer artist, Monterey Bay Murals, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
2018:
- Solo Exhibit, Urban Groove, Santa Cruz, CA
- “What Nourishes Us” member’s exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Crows” Solo Exhibit, Santa Cruz County Human Services, Watsonville, CA
- "12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
2017:
- “Color!” Member’s Exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- Solo Exhibit, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Santa Cruz, CA
- “12”x12”invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
2016:
- “Beautiful My Dream”, Solo Exhibit, Second Street Cafe, Watsonville, CA
- “Home, Explorations of the Concept of Home” member’s exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- Solo Exhibit, Cafe Ella, Watsonville
2015:
- “Hearts for the Arts”, silent auction to benefit arts education, Artisans Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
- “Transformation Envisioning Change” Member’s Exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
2014:
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
2013:
- “Best of Show” Members Collective, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
2012:
- “Interior Monologues” Members Collective, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
2010:
- “Sculpture Is- In the Garden”, juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Sculpture Is- In the Gallery”, juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Wade in the Water”, Scholarship recipient, Colorado ArtRanch Artposium, Salida, CO
- “Los Pajaros, Exhibit of Bird Inspired Art” juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
1999-2010:
- Contributing member, Northern California Book Arts Guild. Most art books produced during this time were made from non-art materials, using found and re-used materials. Art books created in this time period now belong to private collections in Northern California, Oregon, the UK, and Japan.
1999:
- “Mixed Media Art Books”, solo display, McHenry Library entrance showcases, University of California at Santa Cruz
- “For the Seventh Generation: The One-Mile Pano-Mural of the Western Coast”, mural panel contributor, Santa Cruz Wharf
- Group Show, Atelier Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
1996
- Senior Art Show, Elena Baskin Visual Arts Center Seminar Room, University of California at Santa Cruz
the use of materials that can’t be bought in a store, are foraged from the wild or reused from the human world;
layers, overlapping realities, and combination of abstract and representational imagery.
University of California at Santa Cruz - Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art
Emphasis in mixed media and drawing, 1996
Nominated for Irwin Scholarship, 1996
Studied art at Jonan School (Japanese calligraphy, woodblock printing, drawing, sculpture) Kyoto, Japan
Studied Japanese tea ceremony and flower arrangement under Urasenke school in Kyoto, Japan
-"Alma Sagrada: Cultivando Ritmos Naturales/Sacred Soul: Cultivating Natural Rhythms", Invited Artist, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- "This is Now", Tri-Gallery Group Show of the Visual Arts Network, Radius Gallery participant. Santa Cruz, CA.
- “Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
- Tri-Gallery Group Show of the Visual Arts Network, R Blitzer Gallery participant. Santa Cruz, CA.
- "Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
- “Visual Arts Network”, curated directory of artists in Santa Cruz County, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County
- “Hearts for the Arts”, silent auction to benefit arts education, Artisans Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
- “Watsonville Wine Beer and Art Walk”, participating artist, Watsonville, CA
- "4th Annual Watsonville Community Paint Day”, volunteer artist, Monterey Bay Murals, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- Solo Exhibit, Urban Groove, Santa Cruz, CA
- “What Nourishes Us” member’s exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Crows” Solo Exhibit, Santa Cruz County Human Services, Watsonville, CA
- "12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- “Color!” Member’s Exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- Solo Exhibit, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, Santa Cruz, CA
- “12”x12”invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- “Beautiful My Dream”, Solo Exhibit, Second Street Cafe, Watsonville, CA
- “Home, Explorations of the Concept of Home” member’s exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- Solo Exhibit, Cafe Ella, Watsonville
- “Hearts for the Arts”, silent auction to benefit arts education, Artisans Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
- “Transformation Envisioning Change” Member’s Exhibit, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- “12”x12” invitational, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA
- “Best of Show” Members Collective, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Interior Monologues” Members Collective, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Sculpture Is- In the Garden”, juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Sculpture Is- In the Gallery”, juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- “Wade in the Water”, Scholarship recipient, Colorado ArtRanch Artposium, Salida, CO
- “Los Pajaros, Exhibit of Bird Inspired Art” juried show, PV Arts, Watsonville, CA
- Contributing member, Northern California Book Arts Guild. Most art books produced during this time were made from non-art materials, using found and re-used materials. Art books created in this time period now belong to private collections in Northern California, Oregon, the UK, and Japan.
- “Mixed Media Art Books”, solo display, McHenry Library entrance showcases, University of California at Santa Cruz
- “For the Seventh Generation: The One-Mile Pano-Mural of the Western Coast”, mural panel contributor, Santa Cruz Wharf
- Group Show, Atelier Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
- Senior Art Show, Elena Baskin Visual Arts Center Seminar Room, University of California at Santa Cruz