Inspiration

Travel
Old Walls
Sea and Sky
Garden

Travel

Some of the most formative experiences occur during travel with my husband David and friends. Many places we visit are difficult to reach so we often get around on motorcycle. I ride the back. The people we meet, the encounters with culture, the experience with the land, the offerings of each experience have profoundly changed my life and impacted my artwork. As a tourist I don’t pretend to understand all of this, but I am very grateful to have the gift of interaction with people we meet and to feel a profound interconnection with the world at large. These photos are a collage of images from places I've traveled. I could go on and on.....

A group of monks in red robes walking down the street.
Two young monks in red robes standing next to a wall.
An old couple sitting in a chair outside
A man holding a candle in front of a statue.
A boy is working on some sculptures
A monk standing in front of some white statues.
A woman sitting on the ground playing an instrument.
A man sitting on top of a cow near some water.
A young girl holding onto a wooden stick
A man in an orange hat and scarf.
A man in brown shirt standing near dirt.
A man with long hair and beard wearing a yellow turban.
A man with long white beard and turban
A woman in an orange and white dress standing outside.
A group of children standing around an adult.
Three women in colorful dresses standing on a dirt field.
A woman in black dress holding a stick.
A man in blue and red standing on top of a sand dune.
A monk sitting on the side of a wall.
A herd of horses grazing in the field.
A woman sitting in front of a fire.
Three people in a boat on the beach
Galapagos iguanas in the galapagos islands.
A large pile of rocks with red flowers on top.
A woman in a kimono.
An orange tori tori gate with writing on it.
Cappadocia, turkey - cappadocia, turkey - cappadocia, turkey - cappadocia, turkey.
A person on a motorcycle in a desert.
A valley with snow covered mountains and a river.
A mountain range with trees and clouds.
A rainbow in the sky over a beach and grass.
Purple kites hanging from a building in guadalajara, mexico.
A man wearing a garment and holding a pipe.
A man holding a stick wearing traditional dress and grasslands in the back
A group of flags on a clear day

Old Walls

When traveling, I’m always engaged by old walls: their weathered surfaces, the random marks of passersby, the layers of disintegrating color. Like a mysterious palimpsest, they have an earned patina that speaks a narrative history of time, revealing presence and suggesting absence. My approach to painting incorporates the building of a surface in a similar manner with additions and erosions, intuitive mark, and asemic writing.  I’ve taken these photos in many parts of the world. Even when I can’t speak the language, I feel instinctually that I understand something communicated in these surfaces.

Click on photos to see entire image.

A red wall with peeling paint and a window.
A wall with peeling paint and yellow trim.
A black and white picture of an exclamation mark
A painting of an orange and brown background
A wall with graffiti on it and some dirt
A person standing next to a wall with horses on it.
A picture of some type of graffiti on the wall.
A close up of two paintings on the side of a building
A close up of the surface of an old car.
A wall with graffiti on it and three pipes.
A wall with numbers painted on it
A painting of flowers on the wall
A close up of the wall with some leaves on it
A painting of a wall with paint peeling off.
A close up of the wall with graffiti on it
A painting of a person with sanskrit writing on it.
A close up of the background image in a painting
A close up of the wall with paint peeling off.
A picture of the wall with graffiti on it.
A close up of the wall with different patterns
A picture of a boy on a wall with graffiti.
A painting of a face on a piece of wood.
A painting of a woman holding a wolf.
A drawing of a dinosaur on a pink wall.
A mural on the side of a building with a man in a hat.
A close up of a concrete wall with moss on it.
A wooden door with a black and brown paint.
A close up of a painting with graffiti on it.
A woman's face is painted on the side of a building.
A painting of a child on a brick wall.

Sea and Sky

I live on an island surrounded by the tidal waters of Puget Sound. Most of my younger life was on the move between cities and states scattered all across the US, but here is my homecoming. From my small island I daily view an even smaller island inhabited only by wildlife. This is the fixed point of my compass, the intersection of the sea and sky. In its constantly changing moodiness, its stillness, serenity or storm-tossed unpredictability, this is a mystical scape that seeps deeply into my being. 

I never tire of watching the seals gather on the sand spit or popping up around my kayak like curious aliens. I know the seasonal calls of returning seabirds and throw my arms out like wings with the passing eagles. I can identify the day of the winter's solstice when the sun sets directly behind the island. I’m rather obsessed with photographing this little island with its moody tides and weather, its veils of light and numinous colors. I’ve taken hundreds of photos of this singular place and intend to go on and on, each day a grateful viewer.

A sunset over the ocean with a cloud in the sky.
A rock in the middle of water with trees in the background.
A dark sky with a cloud formation above the water.
A view of the ocean from a beach at sunset.
A small island in the middle of a lake
A sunset with the sun setting over a body of water.
A full moon over the water at night.
A tree in the middle of water with clouds above
A cloudy sky over the water with trees in the foreground.
A boat is in the water under cloudy skies.
A rainbow over the ocean with a small island in it.
A tree in the middle of a body of water
A bird flying over the water at sunset.
A tree in the middle of a field with fog.
A boat floating on top of the ocean under cloudy skies.
A view of the ocean from an island.
A sun setting over the ocean with clouds in the sky.
A sunset over the ocean with a tree in the middle of it.
A sunset over the ocean with clouds in the sky.
A sunset over the ocean with clouds in the sky.
A tree in the middle of water under cloudy skies.
A tree in the middle of a field with fog.
A small island in the middle of a lake.
A boat is in the water under cloudy skies.
A bowl covered in snow on the beach.
A body of water with waves crashing on it.
A small island in the middle of a body of water
A boat is in the water under cloudy skies.

Garden

The garden is one of my greatest teachers, a place of contemplation and inspiration. The photos below are growing things on the walk up to the studio at different times of the year. The artist who sculpted the lovely travertine torso is by M.J. Anderson, a new addition to the garden in 2022. The energy of the earth is an unbelievable force in the Pacific Northwest. Vegetation grows all year long – it’s hard to keep up with all that expansion – but what beauty!

A garden with purple flowers and trees in the background.
A garden with many plants and rocks
A statue of a frog on top of a rock in front of flowers.
A garden with pink flowers and green plants.
A wooden bench sitting on top of gravel.
A garden with rocks and stepping stones in the middle of it.
A garden with many plants and trees
A path with steps leading to the top of it.
A waterfall in the middle of a forest.
A garden with many flowers and plants in the background.
A stone bench with the words " and all is always now ".
A close up of purple flowers in the grass.
A close up of purple flowers in the grass.
A garden with many different plants and trees.
A close up of some pink flowers in the garden
A garden with purple flowers and red roses.
A garden with flowers and rocks in the foreground.
A close up of purple flowers with green leaves
A potted plant sitting on top of a rock.
A bowl of water with flowers in it
A close up of purple leaves with a bee on it
A close up of the leaves on a tree
A close up of some red leaves on the ground
A close up of some tall grass in the sun
A close up of the leaves on a tree
A tree with red leaves in front of some clouds.
A bird bath in the middle of a garden.
A close up of three pink flowers with green leaves
A close up of some pink flowers in the garden
A garden with many different plants and flowers
A close up of the branches and leaves on a tree
A close up of the branches and leaves of a tree.
A close up of some pink flowers and grass
A close up of some grass in the sun
A garden with purple flowers and rocks in the foreground.
A tree with purple flowers growing on it
A garden with many flowers and trees
A group of deer standing in the grass near trees.
A tree with sunlight coming through it
A close up of the flower of an arum lily
A close up of the top of an agave plant.
A close up of some flowers and leaves
A tree with red leaves in the middle of a garden.
A group of white flowers in the grass.
A stone statue in the middle of a garden.
A close up of some purple flowers and green plants
A large vase sitting in the grass near some trees.
A tree with green leaves and white flowers.
A close up of the flower of a peony
A tree with lights on in the dark.
A tree with icicles hanging from it's branches.
A snowy garden with rocks and trees
A tree with green leaves in the middle of a forest.
A wooden bridge in the middle of a forest.