Prairie Work Statement:
I revel in open prairie spaces and most of my work is anchored by the unimpeded horizon with its blue-beyond-the-blue sense of limitlessness. I tend to lean sunward and immerse myself in the subtle shifts in light, color, and weather. Because of less obvious subject matter, I think the prairie landscape invites an artist to look deeply, carefully, and be more creative––do more with less. I enjoy the challenge and more often than not, “space,” is my subject. My work has been an ongoing exploration of what it feels like to be in that space.
“Prairie time” makes me contemplative, and the gentle strength and enduring quality of the hills, the resilient grasses, the evidence of deep time in the rocks and weathering, reassures me. It’s easy to embrace one’s smallness, enfolded into the great sweep of time and space in the vast open, and I recommend it. I’ve come to realize that my best strategy is to dig deeper into places I call home––explore and engage them from every angle, over time. My most authentic advocacy is to put these places on the map, as visual interpretations, with energy and affection.