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Journal
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January 27, 2025
Recovery
While visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden in March of 2024, I was struck by a particular area of the Dixon Prairie -- a re-creation of the wild prairies that covered the state of Illinois prior to 1900. Drawn to this type of landscape, it was disconcerting to learn that of the over 21 million acres of prairie that once covered the state, today only 0.01 percent remain. The Dixon Prairie project represents several different prairie types including grasslands, native plants, savannas, and wetlands. Although each is lively and remarkable throughout the seasons, it was the wetlands that caught my eye that day.
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December 31, 2024
Wintertime
During the month of December, our dedicated community of artists investigated the theme of Winter Time in their sketchbooks. We explored the use of white to suggest the cool light and chilly weather of the winter months along with the season's sensory associations. Memory, narrative, and sense of place were drawn upon and discovered through the process using a wide variety of painting, mixed media and collage approaches. -
September 30, 2024
In Space In Time
During the summer months, our wonderful community of dedicated artists focused on the subjects of time and space in their sketchbook work. We used the concept of Drift Time in relationship to the lazy days of summer to guide a more relaxed approach to image making and Space Time in connection to visual dimensionality to aid in the formation of engaging, impactful environments. -
June 24, 2024
Lady Coccinellidae
Bookmaking has been an important part of my art practice for decades. After many years of studying the history of artist's sketchbooks and filling many of my own, I began making thematic books based on a variety of subjects, material processes, and conceptual approaches. I use a wide range of sketchbooks and journals, make my own using lots of different methods, and alter published books.
