“From the earliest drawings in Lascaux caves to the landscapes of Cezanne, the poems of Guido Gezelle and the music of Messiaen, art has searched for meaning in the natural world. The experience of natural beauty is not a sense of ‘how nice!’ or ‘how pleasant!’ It contains a reassurance that this world is right and fitting place to be–a home in which our human powers and prospects find confirmation.”  – Roger Scruton, Beauty, A Very Short Introduction.

These threadpaintings depict the places where I find a sense of belonging and beauty.  When visiting these locales, a sense of peace, rest, and renewal encompasses my mind. I enjoy walking through parks, fields, and woods, photographing the beauty I discover. Using these photographs and my memories of these scenes, I create landscapes out of thread and fabric.

Like growth in nature itself, my work takes significant time, energy, and labor to create. Usually I produce only a few paintings per month.  The process begins with dyeing cotton fabric for sky and land, followed by many hours of sewing straight and zigzag stitches using a sewing machine.  Threads are changed frequently to add color and tone to the image.  To contrast the threadwork, loose wool, dyed ribbons, or tulle are incorporated.  French knots and straight stitches are hand embroidered to add more detail.  I enjoy the slow, repetitive stitching in my work.  The process creates a sense of calm analogous to the quietness and beauty I experience within these places.