How do you see natural pigment powders and raw linen as mediums to express emotions and experiences in your paintings?
I discovered raw pigment powders for the first time in Venice. I found nothing else that enabled me to achieve the movement and layering on raw linen. These saturated powders hold the presence of nature and vital energy, and painting with them feels very connected to the way storytelling evolves in my work. Initially, the translucent qualities are dreamlike and come to life by building tone, perception, and depth. The pigments have allowed me to explore color as entities themselves and to connect with my sensory intuition and, ultimately, the voice of the work. What became so evident is that this age-old practice of the releasing of color from the very material of nature and the earth gives rise to nothing truer in its purity of expression and depth because it holds with it the very essence of being.
Can you share a specific moment or memory that served as a direct inspiration for one of your artworks?
The process of creating “Eurythmy” has been unlike any other body of work I’ve undertaken. I forged a particularly strong connection with the underlying theory, and these pieces emerged from a place of deep intuition and a palpable inner pulse. They encapsulate a convergence of emotions, memories, and the essence of the colors in a way that feels particularly profound and personal. The show, for me is that of a whole and resonates with me on a deeply intrinsic level, each piece connecting with the other.
One of the first pieces created, however, was “284 Months of Being”. The canvas breathes with vibrant hues, echoing the journey of 284 months – a lifetime’s worth of experiences, growth, and contemplation. The interplay of light and shade reveals the cyclical nature of existence, mirroring Steiner’s philosophy of perpetual renewal and transformation. Through this painting, we embark on a visual odyssey, inviting viewers to reflect on the kaleidoscope of moments that shape our existence and the golden threads that connect us to the greater tapestry of life.
Your work explores the nuance of emotional interdependence. How do you translate complex emotions into visual art?
“My paintings are of raw linen and pigment powders, where the pigment imbibes the raw linen, allowing the color its own expression. Once I begin, the pigment navigates the time spent layering and pausing. Each pigment is sourced from a unique origin, just as the hue of the raw linen is determined by the amount of sun and rain the crops get that
specific year at the harvest. As my materials are so much of the earth, they, too, become an expression of the work.
My process is one of deep contemplation of the inner language that speaks without words and needs no definition. The idea is that our experiences and emotions are not felt as isolated events but rather frequencies of the invisible that defy time or a measure of past and future, bringing us to a place of one. Each painting is an incantation to a pilgrimage; thus, the truth becomes the self-evident condition of the collective soul, drawing strength and inspiration from the memory of beauty and its power.
The paintings are of raw linen and pigment powders, where the pigment imbibes the raw linen, allowing the color its own expression. The colors that emerge onto the canvases for each work are formed from deep contemplation and observation of the surrounding world, the universal language of absence and presence, remembrance, of hope and healing, and essentially being human.
My education was an exploration of nature in every sense; we ventured into Central Park daily, no matter the weather, and experienced learning through a deep connection to the seasons and the nature of being. I wanted to tap into the profound influence of Steiner’s philosophy on my youthful self. Eurythmy, crafted by Rudolf Steiner, is a form of human expression choreographed to music, poetry, or speech. During my time in school, I felt a strong resonance with it, embracing the outward manifestation of my inner energy. It is only today, through my creative practice, that I’ve been able to forge my own voice and unite the two worlds that I hold deeply within – that of movement and color.
What does it mean to you to have your practice recognized by institutions like the Rudolf Steiner College and Steiner Education Australia?
It is an honor to be embraced by the Rudolf Steiner community; my practice originates from my education at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, where the understanding of color was intrinsic to the ethos; the seasons provided a deep understanding of how light and color penetrate our beings. I believe this engagement with each color in its pure form has manifested within me a sensory relationship with color and how it feels, not just seeing but feeling the tones within an object, element, or place and in each breath. It has been wonderful to be in New York again and work closely with the school; I am grateful for their continued support of my creative journey. Through the Steiner community, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Ki Smith, an alumnus of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York.
In your debut at Sydney Contemporary 2022, what message or feeling were you hoping to convey to your audience through your artwork?
Emotion defines us as human; the memories living within our being are the essence of our cellular expression. In an age when science and technology have been linked to great catastrophes, it brings to light the need for living beings to find new ways to interact with nature and each other. The paintings are portals of connection to the oneness that holds us together. The paintings are not purely of the senses or of intellectual consideration or driven by one’s heart but the most profound aspect of our beings… the knowledge of the spirit. For Sydney Contemporary in 2022, the series delved into Rudolf Steiner’s viewpoint on Goethe’s Scientific Writings on nature. I explored the interpenetration of our consciousness and the world around us as interpreted by Steiner, producing three large-scale pieces: Being One and Two I, Being One and Two II, and But As Though To Time Alone, 2022. The three pieces aimed to embody the essence of the ginkgo trees. The leaves of the ginkgo grip to their branches, shifting in shades of chartreuse to luminous gold. The trees stand, and at once, their leaves fall. Due to not rain or wind but to time alone.
With Every Breath, 2023
As Between You and Me, 2023
