Black Snake Studios

I was born in Nice, France of military parents and have lived in France, Germany as well New York, North Dakota, Colorado and Maine. I served in the United States Navy from 1974-1978 and was stationed in California and Alaska.

My formal art training began at Swain School of Design, now part of UMass-Dartmouth, and completed my education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln culminating with a Bachelor of Fine Art-Studio Arts in 1984. In 1987, I returned to school and obtained Teacher Certification from the University of Maine-Orono and then taught Art in the Baileyville, ME public-school system Union 107 for 15 years. 

As an artist, my studio work was on hold as I raised four children and worked full time. Due to job relocation, my husband and I migrated south to Prosperity, SC. In 2003 I found myself semi-retired with an empty nest and a brand-new studio. 

Currently I work as an Adjunct Art Instructor at Newberry College, a position I have held since 2010 and as an oil painting instructor at the City of Newberry Arts Center. My paintings have been displayed in many counties throughout the state of South Carolina. 

My roots are planted in the school of modernist thought. My formal training began at Swain School of Design, a school that leaned heavily towards figurative and landscape realism. While classified as a painting major, I was strongly drawn to the simplicity and the ready recognition required in design classes. In particular, the fluidity of the curve held my attention and allowed me to “feel” the flow of my compositions. Continuing my education at the University of Nebraska, a more liberal, abstract Midwestern school, I developed a fascination of linear movement combined with strong color and shapes. This combination enables me to work with objects devoid of conceptual barriers and allows for more abstract interpretations of the subject matter. This establishes a stimulating platform on which I can experiment with selective linear movement and emphasis on colors and form choices. 

My compositions develop from a single line or small facet in my sketch from which the entire piece is born. Then there is a natural expansion as my lines traverse the canvas and join to reflect the entity I have selected and its aura. Natural eroticism in flowers is an element of my work. The sole purpose of a flower is attraction with the final objective being reproduction. The forms within the flowers are sensual and, in my paintings, convey the delicacy and power of their inherent structure. Overall, I do not require the viewer to have direct knowledge of the subjects but hopefully be intrigued enough to explore them. 

I also am drawn to the figure for similar reasons. To me, the figure has many of the same elements as my flowers. I use simple line and minimal color in translating the human form. In the mythology series, I apply my technique while focusing on the individual deity’s strength and association with the elements. This provides diverse interpretations of well-known subjects.

I am strongly influenced by Georgia O’Keeffe’s American modernist work and Edward Weston’s still-life photography. I admire O’Keeffe’s ability to use the elements of her subject matter to structure her composition rather than merely be the subject within her painting. I strive to capture her use of realism to explore the realm of abstract and her careful survey of the parts to create the whole.