Blue Ribbon is a second study of the young woman who appears in Red Wrap. On this day, she arrived at my studio in a very calm and collected mood. I could see and feel this in all her features and I believe it comes through in the many subtle differences between these two large pastel drawings. 20” x 24”
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The statue of Brooke uses much the same pose as two of my pastels, Intrusion and Red Wrap. The figure is holding her garment up over her chest and looking over her shoulder. Having created that image in two-dimensions with color, I wanted to recreate it in three-dimensions with the limit colors of patinas on bronze.
Bronze Sculpture 25" H -
In the marble sculpture of “Grateful”, I have taken the basic pose used in the preparatory drawing, keeping the reach of the woman’s fingers, stretch of her neck, and the tight set of her mouth and eyes that express the tension and drama of her battle. While she is feeling great sorrow at her loss, I call these works Grateful, not ‘sorrow’ because that is the positive side of her feelings she must use and rely upon to move forward and continue her battle.
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The model that posed for Red Wrap arrived at my studio in a bit of a dither. She was having a bad hair day, felt she looked haggard, and was having trouble holding a pose. However, in her battle I saw a certain spirit and beauty that I focused on and emphasized as I did this pastel image. Pastel 20” x 24” -
In Scarf, I have tried to create a duality and strong sense of contrast between thought and action in the figure. I wanted to capture a strong sense of energy through the long stretch of the woman’s body, one that speaks of power and potential. At the same time, the woman’s face is pensive, calm, and shows us the source of that power. Half size, cold cast marble
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Heritage represents the three phases of womanhood. The triadic theme is an old one and it appears in many cultures, including my own Cherokee heritage. For me, it was a chance to work in high and low relief and to experiment with a myriad of forms and textures. For observers, Heritage can be interpreted in many ways and personalized to any tradition. -
"Dreamer" Pastel 48" by 38". -
What is a dream? To me, whether they are the waking reveries of our minds or more mysterious nocturnal fantasies, dreams are windows into new worlds. The inspiration for this work came while listening to my model recall a recent dream, while looking out a window in my studio. In the finished work I have him kneeling, bolt upright on the edge of a bed, spreading the curtains on the dawn of his new vision. He is Day Dreaming. -
Years ago, in Europe, I saw a wonderful pastel from the 1890’s of a woman wearing a head wrap and holding a golden medallion on a dark cord. One day, Brooke, a model and fabric designer, came to my studio with this wonderful piece of burgundy material to show me – and she was wearing a golden medallion on a dark cord. We went to work, immediately on Medallion. -
Storm represents two contrasting figures struggling against the powers of nature. The woman is looking back as if she has lost something in the tragedy. While the man leans forward, head down, into the wind and rain with single-minded determination. The contrast of their poses and reactions to the unfolding drama can be seen in its many forms from all angles. The work was inspired by hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, but I call it Storm because it symbolizes the concept of tragedy in all its dark forms. -
I love to draw feathers with pastels because the marks pastels make have a wonderful feathery quality. Knowing this, my model Brooke arrived one day with a feathered mask. In the background are a series of tiles incorporating nautilus and feather motifs, a design I created for Brooke. And thus Waiting for the Masquerade was born. -
Nickel/Silver 18 x 18