Artist Statement

Monoprints

For me the making of a print is an instinctive, meditative process. It is a mysterious unfolding of images. Each image has its own energy and possibilities. And yet, each image gives its permission for the next one to appear. Printmaking is a joyful balance between absolute spontaneity and control, between chaos and order and between form and formlessness. With an open mind and heart the dialogues between paper, thread and ink are endless.

About Kanthas

The word Kantha means rags in Sanskrit. As a meditation practice, Buddhist monks pieced together scraps of cloth to make their robes. Tearing something apart and reorganizing it is the inspiration behind my paper kantha series. I hand print onto sewing pattern paper, tear the pieces apart and then reassemble them. Once the pieces are in place, I attach them to natural hemp paper using a traditional Kantha running stitch. These embroidered "markings", along with beads and natural materials, add additional texture to my work. For me, embroidery has become a meditation practice. Given so much sadness in the world today, being able to heal through art and sewing is an extraordinary gift.