What started out as a distraction or a respite from my real job, teaching, has evolved over time to be my full time occupation and passion.  After first experimenting with other sculptural media--direct metal sculpture, wax modeling, bronze casting, and fiber--I was introduced to and hooked by the art of stone carving.  

 

In contrast to the “building up” process of these other media, direct stone carving challenges an artist to slowly reveal and release the beauty of the forms hidden within the stone.  For me there is an interaction, a conversation with the stone, which directly effects how the piece develops.  

 

I find joy in transforming a seemingly solid, unyielding stone into something graceful and lyrical, sometimes even whimsical.   Because I react to stone as a very sensuous and organic medium, many of my pieces evoke the human, often feminine form, in varying degrees of abstraction.  I am inspired and influenced by the work of Arp, Brancusi, and especially Henry Moore, and by primitive art forms.

 

While most of my pieces are highly polished, I often try to leave some of the rough stone exposed to provide contrast and texture.  This also lets the viewer in on the process and allows them to appreciate the natural beauty of the stone. I often perforate my sculptures to create negative space and give the illusion of lightness and transparency to the solidity of the stone.  I am delighted when people cannot resist touching my work because I believe sculpture should be experienced tactilely as well as visually.