ARTIST STATEMENT

"The meaning of life is to see."
Hui Neng

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
Carl Jung

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

  My drawings are gifts received while honing my ability to see. I have drawn and painted since childhood and have little formal training in art. Over the past 51 years, I have "been" many things -- a classical musician (12 years), a paralegal (3 years) and for the past 16 years, a child and family therapist in settings such as a psychiatric hospital, foster care, a residential treatment facility and private practice.

Each phase of my life has brought me in contact with persons and situations that have deepened my awareness of that which matters. I have been graced with the privilege of meeting many wise people- some known, some not so known, some very old, some only three years old, who have opened doorways and pointed me toward the next step on my way. In particular, I thank Frederick Franck, artist/author, zen philosopher, and his wife, Claske, who opened my eyes and helped me connect my drawing hand with my heart.

I have always been fascinated with the interweaving of daily life, culture and the sacred. My current work with immigrant mothers and babies from South America has enriched my life and brought new colors to my palette. In 2002, I lived for three months with an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Amazon while helping the women start a kindergarten.

Living in the jungle brought about a dramatic change in my artwork -- a move away from realistic images to an evocative inner landscape peopled with fantastic creatures. A recent trip to the Brazilian Amazon unlocked more treasures. To borrow the words of the esteeme Sufi Poet, Hafiz, I try to be a hollow tube - to allow spirit to move through me onto the paper.

There is no forethought or planning of a drawing - the images leap onto the page - often during long subway trips to the inner city as I visit the families with whom I work. I hope my drawings will provide hope, spark inner inquiry and bring joy to the hearts of those who see them.