Continuing with the shadow theme, here is a new piece I've been working on called "In Shadow." Immediately recognizable as plants and yet...upon closer examination...they're very unrealistic plants, stems don't seem to connect, leaves emerge from nowhere, and even what's light and dark seems to be randomly assigned. This is the crux of the identity/perception issue my artwork explores. Identity is how I view myself. Perception is how you view me. I'm interested in using my artwork to spark a conversation about that conflict. In a world where we quickly judge others based on appearances, your first narrative about someone... Read more →

Do you recall when I blogged about my visit to the light show at Descanso Gardens in California back in January 2023? I've never stopped thinking about the rainbow shadows that the misty night created. I've been working on some pieces that attempt to capture some of the feelings of those rainbow shadows. (I have photos if I want to share the reality of it!) This piece is called "Night-Time Shadows": It's a 16x20 Monotype Collage. You can see another piece from this series being worked on in this short video from instagram: I am going to be hosting an... Read more →

I've been trying to think about how to describe this piece I made. It's mixed media collage, but it's also a painting. I collaged by adding paper, but I also cut away layers of paper. It's acrylic but also watercolor. It's carefully put together but also wildly free. I named it "Tapestry of Flight" and it's about leaves and birds and that cacophony that swirling winds bring. It was a slow and meditative process to put it together. Days and days and weeks of cutting and adding and painting and cutting. You can see that complexity in these detail photos:... Read more →

Today is the last day of the 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline: Art Supplies for Painters Art Supplies for Printmakers Art Supplies for Art Journalers Art Supplies for Collage Artists So let's wrap this series up with art supplies for collage artists! There are two main things to talk about with collage: paper and glue. So let's start with paper. The main papers I use are: Deli Paper & Wet Strength Tissue Paper - Both of these papers are thin, translucent when glued, and take a beating. Deli paper is cheap and not... Read more →

As you know, we're in the midst of a 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline: Art Supplies for Painters Art Supplies for Printmakers Art Supplies for Art Journalers Art Supplies for Collage Artists Today we've made it to #3: art journaling supplies! I've put together a video with all the details about why I like and use these particular supplies: And here's the list of goodies from the video: Listo China Markers Neocolor I Crayons Neocolor Sharpener Posca Pens SoFlat Acrylic Paint Ranger Heat It Craft Tool Grey Matters Palette Paper Scotch Blue Painter's... Read more →

Hey friends! Today I thought we'd chat a bit about scrap packs and how they can be a help in your art practice. I make scrap packs about 4 times a year -- usually when my collage paper has gotten out of control. But, more than just a way to declutter, scrap packs can significantly boost your creativity. What Are Scrap Packs? Scrap packs are bundles of various collage papers. These papers can be of different types, including book pages, tissue paper, deli paper, and more. The beauty of scrap packs lies in their diversity; they bring together a mix... Read more →

This is an 18x24 monotype collage I titled "Boy Colors." It's part of my ongoing series of work exploring my experience of motherhood. Like many mothers, I am mired in the complicated push and pull between what I feel I ought to do as a mother vs. what I am doing. Glennon Doyle has a great bit about motherhood and martyrdom in her book, Untamed: “Mothers have martyred themselves in their children’s names since the beginning of time. We have lived as if she who disappears the most, loves the most. We have been conditioned to prove our love by... Read more →

I'm very excited about my new live online class, Botanical Monotype Collage, which begins on Friday. It's packed with content and covers sooooooo many art-making techniques. You are probably familiar with the idea of making pretty papers on the gelatin plate and then using them for collage. That is NOT what we are doing. Class one is all about creating the stuff you will use in your artwork -- a mixture of "base layers" and collage papers (and I will be sharing how to tell the difference between the two). You will also learn: The basics of gelatin printing. How... Read more →

One of the brain puzzles I really enjoy is figuring out how to "fix" my artwork and make it better. Recently, I went on a rampage through some piles of old art and worked on making them better. Here's the first one: I flipped it 180º and slightly reframed the matting to include more of the blue circle area. This had the added benefits of (a) getting rid of the bright green in the upper left corner of the original, and (b) revealing the small orange and salmon rectangles seen along the right edge in the "after." Matting often involves... Read more →

Welcome to another Studio Snippet! Today, I'd like to talk to you about something that's central to my art practice and a principle I encourage in all my classes – the importance of practice. And why mistakes are vital to becoming a better artist. The instructions for the exercise I'm doing in the video can be found in the Maker & Super Learner Classrooms. For me, I can't stress enough how crucial it is to practice. You should use your best materials, embrace your precious items, and be prepared to make lots of mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the... Read more →