Coast Live Oaks Thrive in a Fire Ecology, painted with the earth from the place they grow, during wildfire season. Background is from one chunk of yellow ochre, heated to make the different hues to red. Trees painted with limestone, oak gall ink, blue clay and glair, on wood panel. 30”x24”
Low Tide, Tanoak acorn cap ink over egg tempera paint made of ground up stones from a Santa Cruz mountain peak (gathered a week before a 2020 wildfire,) wood panel, 16"x20"
Earth Pigments from Miocene era layers visible on sea cliffs in Santa Cruz County. Walnut husk ink and Miocene earth pigments on wood panel, 30x24"
"Coast Live Oaks,"
Tanoak acorn cap ink and earth pigments on wood panels.
Locally foraged earth pigments and black walnut & oak gall inks on wood panel, 16x20". Inspired by local artist Jaime Sanchez's Virgen painting and artist Caroline Ross's poem about squirrels and acorns.
Inherently Sacred Series:
The Inherently Sacred Series, Haloed native plants and animals. Locally foraged earth pigments on wood panels, 7.5 x 12" each
Yerba Santa Flanked by California Thrasher & Jack Rabbit, A Triptych from the Inherently Sacred Series. Locally foraged earth pigments and redwood charcoal, 11.5 x 23"
Iusticia, Lady Justice, the goddess of Justice within Roman mythology. Iusticia holds the scales of justice in one hand and the double-edged sword in the other. She wears a blindfold as a symbol of impartiality. She is often depicted with elements of earth (the cliff below the lighthouse) and air (the ribbons shown in the sky) showing a balance between the earth and the heavens. The leaves are olive leaves, symbols of peace, which are often depicted around the scales of justice. Here, they could also be kelp. While painting this, I felt that this is also a painting related to climate change. The sunset colors of the sky, the rising sea holds the scales of justice over the small lighthouse (lighthouses are a symbol of human hope and safety.) Olive leaves of peace stretch between impending wave and lighthouse/scales. This was a commissioned piece for a local judges chambers. Painted with foraged soil pigments on wood panel, 16”x20”
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