I remember the moment in college when I was drawing a typewriter for an object drawing class. As I stared at the keys, they began to come alive. It became clear to me that I had a whole organic world hidden inside my head, a world full of organisms with individual rhythms and their own way of relating to each other. I wondered if it was healthy to live in two worlds—one only experienced by me! I wondered how I would move back and forth between them. It wasn’t surprising that this hidden world had opened up to me since I had spent my childhood walking with my father in his garden, pollenating daylilies, examining pear branches grafted onto an apple tree and cutting open strange vegetables. My world was enriched and grounded by the seasons and by the cycles of life as I watched my parents and grandparents live their passions—embracing music, books, drawing, and a love of textiles, needlework and beautiful, rich holidays.

Decades later, their gifts of passion still journey with me, reminding me that the essence of who we are, deep inside ourselves, stays with us as life and art-making unfold. Intuitive organisms still exist in my work, with unique characteristics collected from life experiences. I found that when our work comes from deep inside, it grows and changes with us. The memories we hold alter our rhythm and focus, coloring who we are inside as we journey through life. Time adds split-second memories and also elaborate, complex ones that reveal both excruciatingly difficult times as well as light, joyful, hopeful ones—often spontaneous. These images grow and morph freely in a never-ending process as they reflect that unique journey inside inside each of us— inviting us to reach deep into the complicated journey within ourselves, while our inner self keeps us grounded. Art reflecting life.

My process is an extension of these thoughts from deep inside. As I begin drawing, I work spontaneously, as though I’m stepping into the paper. Images grow out of stains and textures in the paper like mold grows from what already exists. At the same time, I choose whatever media best reflects life at the moment. If stitching evolves, the threads reflect what we carry with us through our journey.

The history of the process when I work is important. There are remnants visible from the path that each piece takes while on the way to being resolved. At times, the work appears unfinished, with traces of past journeys and pathways for future exploration.

This unfolding became eye-opening as hidden organisms become part of our reality. Climate Change and an unpredictable virus have altered our naive sense of order in the world. They made it clear to me that our own hidden thoughts are no different than the mysteries of all living things. My work holds a belief that being in touch with the hidden thoughts that define each of us will give us a sense of being grounded and will create a path to respecting and learning from each other—helping to bring the world together.