About
My work is an unfolding narrative portraying my internal characters and their lives, much as in dreams. Dreams and the unconscious are essential to my life and art. I believe in the power of the unconscious to restore order and bring balance to the psyche. When I draw, my goal is to enter the unconscious directly. I use a variety of techniques to do this such as closing my eyes or using my non dominant hand. In this series I was inspired by DW Winnicott, a British psychoanalyst, who used squiggles as a clinical tool to reach the root of children’s psychological dilemmas. Squiggling/doodling is a rich entry into the symbolic underworld of the psyche. All of these drawings were created in pencil through random scribbles. As forms and images emerge, the drawing evolves and takes shape.
My clinical training as an art therapist and work with a wide range of psychiatric clients has deeply informed my art. I witnessed countless “untrained” artists create works of great emotional power and spirit. Observing them work without self-consciousness, I felt a sense of freedom and personal agency for myself. Often their artistic styles were very stimulating and I found myself incorporating elements of their work into my own. These artists became my unexpected “muses”and I credit them with inspiring me and pushing me out of my comfort zone. From a long-view perspective, these drawings represent my navigation of difficult times and inner struggles. Disparate worlds collide, humor and whimsy are an antidote to despair, and the absurd balances reality. I am a voyeur, peering into houses, hospitals, bars, backyards, probing into windows that hold mystery and secrets. Angst is everywhere and so is love. Between the pandemic, the loss of democracy here and abroad, the violence in Ukraine and Palestine, endless racism, new fascistic trends, environmental disaster, and personal internal conflicts, these drawings have given me focus, stability, and sometimes even joy or a laugh. They have provided a cathartic outlet for tumultuous and polarizing emotions and kept me sane in an insane world.