1ArtistWest

When I first started taking my watercolor seriously I became interested in old houses that were left to rot. Who were the people who lived there? What happened to them? Why did they abandon the house?  I still remember exploring this house with it's  beautiful beaded molding over the doors and the long rough hewn table with benches on each side. 

I did quite a few dives during my twenties and was so moved by some of my experiences I chose to freeze frame the memory in a watercolor.  I fed an eel at Palancar Reef that still holds a strong memory. His body was covered in spots that variegated darker at the top and he moved in a ghost like dream fashion in and out of his cavern in the reef to feed out of divers hands. The little angle fish waited patientl;y should he miss a crumb.

I spent several months at a horse stable talking to the owners about their horses. It was fascinating to me that these beasts who could throw you off and stomp you to death, instead submitted to the bridle. This piece was to capture the look in the horses eye when the bridle went on.  It was submission but also perhaps, a bit of sadness. This piece is done with an Indigo pencil on fine tooth drawing paper.

This was the sequel to "Bridled" . The horses head is up and in forward motion and the main is flying. I wanted to capture the moment of a horse running from the bridle. His eyes are calm and fixed on his destination while his body reflects the crazed run.

It is very hard to truly see yourself objectively as you look in the mirror daily. I feel that a portrait that captures a person's essence with little visual information is a strong one. I like this piece because the graphite is place in strategic points to create just enough value to provide symmetry, focus and value, while still leaving much of the paper showing thru

This poster was designed for a Dallas Rehab Hospital for their ad campaign. It is a watercolor mono print. I came up with the slogan as a positive swing on the services the hospital provided to those who were facing loss of mobility due to spinal injury. 

I used glazing in this watercolor to create layers of color. I wanted to provide depth in the piece by bringing the leaves in front into high focus and letting the background remain soft. The glass blown vase is from a trip to Chicago. It brings me great joy as it was the first expensive piece I glass I ever owned. 

This acrylic painting was done for my son who is a professional fishing guide and competitive fisherman.  He took a photo one morning on the lake and showed it to me. "This is what I love about my job" he said.  I wanted to see if I could capture the vibrancy  that was in his  photo.

I love the ocean marshes off the coast of Georgia. The light and color are a feast for any eye.. I wanted to capture the feeling of the marshes without providing a specific location or detail, as if it were only a dream like rememberance.

This is a work done with dye on fabric.  The scene is from a photo I shot while traveling in Denmark. There was an Asian Section  inside Tivoli Gardens, and amusement park, that had a huge dragon overhead with lanterns everywhere. I looked up and was overwhelmed with the joy of the abundance of color.

Enamel on copper floral necklace made by hand sawing copper and kiln firing layers of liquid enamel. Flower sizes approx 2" x2"

This is a copper cuff that has been hammered and form folded to produce wonderful texture. The metal was repeatedly torched and hammered and then a coating of Liver of Sulphur was added

This is a copper and silver tablet with a celtic design on the cover and my personal writing stamped on the silver inside plate. Measures 1.5"x2"

A filigree silver Nautilus soldered to a copper plate. The silver filagree has been textured and domed to mimic the rounded feel of the Nautilus.

This pendant was made by impressing PMC ,cutting and folding it to form a purse.. A small cubic zirconium  was placed as a catch. It measures 1"x1.5"

These pieces were created using the Lost Wax Process.  The moom was hand formed using paste wax and the flower was designed with sheet wax. The pieces were cast by pouring  sterling silver grain . Moon size is 1" x 2" and Flower size is 1" in diameter

This is a wax form I created to create the silver flower in the next photo.  I used the lost wax process.  I poured an investment around the wax flower and then poured sterling silver into melt the wax.  I was not sure that all the petals would take as the silver had to flow upwards to the tips , however the cast was successful. . 

These glass beads were formed in a propane/oxygen torch. The glass was layered to create little vessels with arms. Then glass stringers were used for decoration. Approx sizes are 1.5"x1.50"

Copper seed beads are woven in a Peyote stitch to form the band of this bracelet. Thien "stacks" of copper beads are built on top to create a 3rd dimension  7"L x 1 "W

My hands were cast by placing them in a bucket of Alginate, removing them when the Alginate set and then pouring in plaster. I wanted a post where I was holding a pencil to reflect my artistic bent. I not only cast my hands but also assisted in casting all the hands of those who were namesakes of schools in my district.

My figurative sculptures of the male and female body were created from red clay using a live model. Height 12" 

I asked a friend for their broken colander for my altered art collection of parts. It reminded me of the armored skirt that Samurai warriors wear. The rest developed from parts I had in my metal junk box. I figured warriors have to have a cause so I stamped Faith, Hope and Love on the fuse box he stands on.

I love exploring the textures of organic nature in clay. This piece explores the feeling of a seed pod without it being a particular pod. One should get the feeling that the pod has already sprung open to reveal the inside. 

I teach Sculpture II and AP 3D. I introduced my students to a building method where the head is formed from the skeleton up. It has been very succesful.

I spoke to teachers from all over Texas about the 3D processes used in my classroom, how to replace expensive sculpture materials with affordable substitutions, and what the future is for 3D work. 

This convention was held at the Anatole Hotel in Dallas , Texas.  I spoke in Cortez Ballroom D. The Anatole is a beautiful hotel and they provided a wonderful space for my lecture.

I teamed with Professor Dallie Clark in presenting "The Art of Letter Writing" . Professor Clark lectured on the importance of the written letter and I led a watercolor workshop where attendees learned about the historical significance of the illuminated manuscript and then created one of their own. We presented at several libraries. This particular photo is from the Allen , Texas library presentation.

My watercolor letter was used for the library poster advertising the event.

“Deja Vu” consists of over one thousand dyed perfumed flowers, in reality tampons, that fill a wall. The installation represents a woman’s strength and resiliency. When handed a situation ,such as menstruation, women approach their personal lives and careers as if they are limitless. They take something disgusting and making it beautiful.

My work celebrates women’s resiliency in facing challenging roles and their freedom to embrace or reject roles, which ultimately define their Identity.

Deja Vu was exhibited on the Texas A&M campus art gallery in August 2017

“Renovation in Pink”, is a bracelet, made from a eight foot industrial chain. The chain is rusty and cumbersome, a visual representation of the historical plight of women, who received lower salaries than men for the same work, and went unrecognized for their success. On the rusty chain are bright pink charm clips which provide anticipation of new charms, suggesting old stereotypes being replaced with new ones.