SWOON 2025

 I'm very excited to have an opportunity for a solo show at the White Bear Center for the Arts this spring! I will be installing my current collection of "gothic botanicals" for display beginning March 8, 2025. I'm excited for this ongoing series of (mostly) larger work! Below are a couple of promotional graphics I've been playing with to promote the show... I'm partial to the beetles I have to admit.  Read on for my artist statement that explains the show title and subjects a little bit more.

 

 

 

Swoon (verb) : to faint from extreme emotion

Built upon the thrill of discovery, this collection of linocuts is inspired by many hours 

spent observing nature,  the sensation of being immersed in the woods and the joy of 

losing myself in the details of a garden. These images are part of an ongoing series of 

pattern-like compositions that I’ve labeled “Gothic Botanicals”. Rather than focusing 

on a hyper-realistic recreation of something, I have tried to develop an expressive interpretation

of my subjects, in the hope that these works trigger an emotional response. 

I selected SWOON as the title for this exhibit because the word evokes the idea of people 

being swept up in a feeling. Usually we equate this with feelings of love, but it could also 

be a wave of surprise or even fear that induces a swoon. This mix of excitement and wonder, 

with a sprinkling of wariness, is something I want to share with my viewer. It is the 

feeling you may have when embarking upon an adventure. 

As an outdoors enthusiast, I hold equally dear both the traditionally beautiful and the less charismatic 

aspects of nature. Many of my favorite creatures are misunderstood and shunned, although their 

important contributions to healthy ecosystems are gradually becoming more main-stream. I include 

them in my work as a means of elevating their status in the public eye. 

Each piece on display has been carefully hand printed using blocks I’ve carved. I begin with an idea 

or a feeling and gather all the related stamps I’ve created. The composition evolves as I go, sprouting 

organically and unexpectedly as I print. I print the black layers of the image first, and once that ink has 

dried I go back in to add more layers of color as needed. Exploring as I go, I never know exactly how 

a piece will end up until it is finally finished. Similar to how you see different things when hiking a 

familiar trail in different seasons, no two pieces ever turn out exactly the same, even when using similar 

combinations of elements. This joy of discovery is what keeps me coming back to my artistic practice year 

after year.