Artist Statement
Artists have used nature as inspiration for centuries, whether they are drawn to nature for its vast arrays of colors or even the many shades of colors seen within a single flower. Textile artists in apparel use the patterns and colors of nature to create woven and print designs seen in women's dresses, outerwear (coats), or neckties. We wrap our bodies in the nature we adore. Each spring my grandfather and I would plant a flower garden under the giant maple tree in the front yard. Each day I would go out and water the plants and watch the plant leaves grow and the flowers bloom. Whether it is the seeds of a tree or the sapling of the seed, nature's patterns and colors change and are an inspiration for my designs in textile art. Playing with these elements gives a sense of risk and fascination, seeing how it all develops into a textile design to be used as clothing or a quilt. It is a mystery waiting to be created.

In creating the designs, I am working with a sense of playing a game. The word "game" according to Webster's Dictionary is a noun meaning diversion, pastime; jest; contest for amusement; scheme, strategy. In a game the players are confronted with a situation in which they can make use of their ingenuity to outwit each other, just as artists use rules and strategies as controls to make art work, playing a game of solitaire.

In creating art, one explores different avenues. The result of this exploration is an adventure, a surprise glimpse into the unknown. When I am making one piece, I am exploring the possibilities for the next design. There is more than one solution. How far can I go? In these works I am exploring the use of two computer programs, NedGraphics Texcelle, and WeavePoint, to create the final woven works on the dobby loom and the wrapping cloths, pieced fabric made up of designs of each collection, that envelope the print designs. Influenced by the works of Kaffe Fassett and William Morris, and inspired by the passion and patterns of the marshes, plants, water, and sky along the Rails to Trails path on Tybee Island, these designs are applied to the final fabric for use in apparel and quilts.