Art heals, nurtures, soothes, inspires, and teaches. Art in many forms connects us with others, brings a smile to our face or brings us to tears. Art communicates what we can¹t say verbally.

I believe that art is universal in its intervention for healing the spirit, as I saw so vividly in my work as a clinical chaplain. Sharing my artwork through gallery shows and exhibits, and mentoring and teaching others through workshops is a meaningful part of the creative process for me.

The artwork that I create is inspired by the many designs and textures of nature; black and white photography; objects which I see in my environment; travels taken; quirky connections between everyday things; and inspiring words and phrases by Rilke, Robert Frost, Thomas Merton, Mother Theresa, Anne Lamont, Gibran, Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King and others. My love of yarns and fabric, weavings and quilting are found in my work and I'm reminded of that time in my life where I sewed my own clothes, hand quilted blankets and wove soft baskets.

I am drawn to bright passionate colors of red, oranges and purples but also to shades of off white, sepia and burnt umber. Sometimes I have a definite plan for my art work and at other times I work in a space of inspired spontaneity. Inspire comes from the word "to breathe in." Joy is what is breathed into me when I am inspired.

Encaustic painting has brought another dimension to my work where the layering of wax and pigment gives a luminous quality of depth and transparency. This wonderful medium creates endless artistic possibilities where hot wax, pigment and heat gun come together. Interesting textures are added through incising, added collage elements and photo transfer.

I believe that writing poetry also nurtures our spirit in the same way that making art does. Poetry has been a part of my life for over 30 years and so it was only natural that I would write Waiting Rooms of the Heart, Poems of a Healthcare Chaplain. My book pays tribute to the courage and strength of the many patients, families and staff that I cared for throughout my years as a clinical chaplain in both acute care hospital settings and adult and pediatric hospice care.

To order: www.iuniverse.com  *  amazon.com  *  Barnes & Noble

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