ARTIST STATEMENT
“I went to the animal fair, all the birds and the beasts were there…” These are the opening words of a children’s song I learned when I was five years old. As a child, I loved songs and stories, especially fairy tales. I was particularly drawn to fairy tales that featured animals with magical powers. These paintings can be understood as stories, fairy tales that have symbolic and mysterious meanings. The animals represented here are the story tellers. Many images come from my dreams and tell stories about events, emotions and memories from my life. Like fairy tales, they are often about times of challenge and transformation.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I am a retired nurse and have worked in psychiatric settings for 40 years. During my nursing career I began studying art, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in art from Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Illinois in 1993. I continued classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1998.
Selected Exhibitions
GROUP SHOWS January 1995: Blue Moon Studio and Gallery, Skokie, Illinois June 1995: Contemporary Art Center, Arlington Heights, Illinois June 1997: Fine Arts Building, Chicago, Illinois February 1998: TLD Design Center and Gallery, Westmont, Illinois December 2002, October 2003 and December 2004: Lee Tracy Studio, Chicago, Illinois March 2003: Five person show, Frick Center, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Illinois November 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014: Accelerator Gallery, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Illinois August 2004: Northwestern Memorial Hospital Galter Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois September 2004 and 2008: Later Impressions, Renaissance Court, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, Illinois October 2005 and 2006: Chicago Art Open, Chicago, Illinois August 2005 to March 2006: Member Open Door Gallery, Chicago, Illinois; Participating in five shows October 2006: Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois March 2007: Rosalind Franklin University, five artist show, North Chicago, Illinois March 2008: National Art Premier 2008, Elmhurst Artist Guild Gallery, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, Illinois April 2010: Member artist Marion Street Gallery, two person show, Oak Park, Illinois October 2013: Oak Park Public Library, Literary Explorations, Oak Park, Illinois February 2013: Women’s Art Exhibit, Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois February 2014: Women’s Caucus for the Arts: Water: A Universal Right, Robert Morris College, Chicago, Illinois February 2014: Women’s Caucus for the Arts: Best of 2014 Show, ARC Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
ONE PERSON SHOWS AND COMPETITIONS January 2002: One person show, Theosophical Society in America, Olcott Gallery, Wheaton, Illinois January 2002: One person show, Ferguson Art Gallery, Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois August 2003: Duo show, Competition sponsored by the Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois February 2004 and March 2005: One person show, Transitions Bookplace, Chicago, Illinois July 2004: Best of show, Nadine’s Festival of the Arts, LaGrange Park, Illinois November 2006: Best of show-Alumni Exhibit, Accelerator Gallery, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, Illinois February 2010: Special Recognition Award, group show, Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, Illinois September 2010: One person show, Harrison Street, Birdlife, Oak Park, Illinois September 2012: One person show, Hanover Park Park District Gallery, Hanover Park, Illinois August 2014: One person show, Munch Café, Oak Park, Illinois May 2015: One person show, Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park, Illinois January 2016: One person show, Wishbone Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois February 2017: One person show, Renaissance Gallery, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, Illinois