Throughout my life as an artist I have drawn inspiration from both the human form and landscape. My early training was as a sculptor studying the figure. The connection to sculptural form has remained in my painting. Over time the work became more free as I continually abstracted a series of works in both sculpture and drawing. Through the early 90’s I was primarily a sculptor in clay slab and then in steel, expressing the complex forms of the body in the most minimal ways possible and with expressive and powerful forms and lines.
In 1998 I moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts and my work was refreshed by painting outside. I was energized by the fresh air, the light, the sea and salt marshes and by new colors and divisions of space. The landscape was not an end in itself but continued the possibility of working with paint and collage and of generating new ideas on canvas or gessoed paper using oil paints. The Size of the work is from 15” x 11” to 6’ x 8’.
The inspiration may also come from a childhood memory or a biblical text or a combination of the symbols that are the “bones” of my work. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem I came upon a large ceramic vessel with an ancient sun and tree of life crudely carved into the clay. | am drawn to this abstract, minimal, primal representation and these images have remained in my work over the last 10 years as well as the rich possibilities in the landscape. These ancient symbols are part of my exploration of the human community and our shared visual language.
For the most part I have painted with gratitude for my many blessings and with the perpetual theme running through my head of how to hold the world and those I love safe in the face of the terrible things that are happening at this time. Many of the new works (2006/2007) are “painted prayers”. These paintings and works on paper are prayers for my husband, sons and daughters-in-law and grandchildren and they reflect my love for them in the title: “You have stolen my heart with a single glance” ( Song of Songs 4:9).