Places
Where I live is a continual source of inspiration for my art. This land was once inhabited by the Miami tribe, who called themselves the Myaamia, which means “the downstream people. Today, the rolling hills in the Great Miami River Valley are home to the Miami Whitewater Forest and lined with farms and horse trails. The winding road leading to our house passes through a long-departed Shaker village. Our back deck looks into the woods. Down the hill on the other side of the trees is the Dry Fork Creek.
Places
Connie’s View
The corn tassels turn crimson as the soy beans ripple in waves. This is the view from a friends house.
16” x 20”
We Live Under Walnut Trees
I am often overwhelmed by the beauty of the seasons. Arriving home from school last Friday evening, I was inspired to create a record of the fall display.
8” x 20”
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Shaker Shadows
I often drive by former Shaker homes and barns in the Miami Whitewater Park. The shadow cast on the side of this one was a striking blue against the sunset colors on the white building.
18 x 24”
Oxford Road Shadows
Driving home through Miami Whitewater Forest near sunset, the shadows stretching across the field and the surreal colors inspired this more abstract landscape.
20x16”
When my friend Robert was told by his doctor that he needed to walk every day, Robert began to walk every day. He brought along his cousin and his camera and filled his Facebook feed with thoughtful images from the area. He gave me permission to adapt this one into a batik for my brother.
12” x 12”
In private collection
Robert’s Walk
This chair sits in my front garden. My approach to creating the shadows against the lights in this batik was inspired by the work of a Scottish artist I met online during the Covid shutdown, Jude Flaherty.
In Artist Collection
Summer Garden
This is the view from my kitchen window in the morning.
14” x 18”
Sold.
Morning Blue Tree
This was inspired by a photo my husband took of the creek that runs across the bottom of the hill behind our house. It’s Dry Fork Creek, where our daughter splayed in the water when they were little. I love the light in the water, on the slope of the hill, and shining mysteriously through the trees in the distance.
12” x 21”
Batik Creek
I walk this road every day in the summertime. The field across the road alternates — soy beans one season, corn the next. The curve of the road looks like the future to me.
10” x 21”
Racelane Road
The road home on one of my morning walks. Drawing power lines into a batik involves using a sharp tool to scratch back through the wax.
14” x 21”
Cornfield Road
A friend brought home a photo of a Costa Rican sunset. I liked the colors and the abstract shapes that make up the land forms. This scene lends itself particularly well to batik crackle.
Costa Rica Beach
Like everyone else, I spent a lot of time trapped at home during the Covid shutdown. This was the view from out my back window that spring. Rain on the deck, Spring in the air. I like the contrast of the geometric uniformity of the deck framing the organic stirrings of nature.
8” x 20”
In Private Collection
Off the Deck Spring
Off the Deck Sunrise
The second of my lock down series is early morning. I would have this wonderful view as I prepared to begin virtual teaching for the day from the dining room table.
8 x 20”
In Private Collection
This is the second of a group of five batiks I created of the view out my back window while trapped at home during the pandemic.
8” x 20”
In Private Collection
Off the Deck Summer
This is the third of a group of five batiks I created of the view out my back window while trapped at home during the pandemic. I like the sun creating shadows through the barren trees.
8” x 20”
In Private Collection
Off the Deck Solstice
Isn’t this cool? Usually, an artist needs to tweak the scene a little to make the composition work. For this piece, I didn’t need to do a thing. Nature did it. The snow blowing up on the rails. The sparkling snow on the deck. The blue snow shadows. What a pleasure this was to work on.
8” x 20”
In Private Collection
Off the Deck Winter
Back in the late 19th to early 20th centuries there was a thriving Shaker settlement a few miles from my house. A few of the community’s structures still stand, and I pass them almost every day. The whimsy of this piece is a different style for me.
8”x 24”
In private collection
Shaker Country
Someone who saw this batik at an art show told me she knows the family who lived in it after the Shakers. So I created another one just for her.
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Shaker House
Birch Shadows
This piece was born from my imagination. I like the depth created by the flat shadows.
Oxford Road Shadows
Driving home through Miami Whitewater Forest near sunset, the shadows stretching across the field and the surreal colors inspired this more abstract landscape.
20x16”
Stalking
This series of four batiks records the changes in colors, shapes and textures of cornstalks throughout the growing season. Each batik is 42” tall making the images very close to life size.
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Winter Barn
This neighborhood barn was used in the opening credits of the George Clooney movie “The Ides of March”. The challenge in this batik was the yellow sky adjacent to the blue (actually white) barn without any green.
16 x 28”
This is the farm that I drive by everyday. I was inspired by the way the silos are revealed as I drive up and over the hills.
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Up and Over
Snow Shadows
Light and shadows on snow suggest such wonderful colors and shapes. Even a short walk in the woods inspires me.
Along the Path
Enjoying my morning coffee in my front garden is one of my absolute favorite summertime treats!
16 x 18”