Artist Statement
I am strongly attracted to the organic forms produced through growth, erosion and decay in our surroundings. As an expression of my interest in these processes, I create sculptures using porcelain, metal and wood. I give my work biomorphic qualities as I explore these themes all while keeping in mind the nature of my materials.
My process starts with the creation of organically shaped, individual porcelain components. I make many varieties of forms, from tentacle-like to petal-ish, and give them textures that range from smooth to rough, random to patterned. I am constantly searching out drift wood, reclaimed weathered lumber, or found metal scraps to use in my work. From beach flotsam to junkyard finds, I alter discarded or abandoned materials as a counterpoint to the creamy white porcelain components. Drawing on their visually scarred appearances and their mostly unknowable histories, I study the found jetsam and discover what I need to add in order to make the fragments into something finished and whole. As I bring the various materials, textures and forms together, the process preserves and transforms the found and handmade. I work to create sculpture in which all of the individual parts blend together to make the entire piece purposeful and seamless.
I also create multi piece all porcelain sculptures. Utilizing the beauty of the vitreous clay, I emulate the overall feeling of the living world of corals, mushrooms, lichens, and other colonizing flora and fauna through organic handmade clay forms. While searching for a place between abstraction and realism, I endeavor to transform inanimate materials into works that suggest life within.
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Exhibitions
2021
MI Arts 2021 Juried Exhibition,, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Liminal, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Oliver Art Center, 3 person exhibition, Frankfort, MI
ACWL-Nuveen Juried Exhibition, 1st Place Award, Whitehall, MI
2020
Postcard Salon, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Solid Ground, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2019
Nature Preserves, 2 person exhibit, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Mix It Up, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Open Ended, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Eye Opener, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Cara O’Brien and Diane Zoellmer, 2 person show, Art Reach on Broadway, Mt. Pleasant, MI
91st Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
West Michigan Area Show, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
Revive, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Bodies Of…, Crooked Tree Center for the Arts-Traverse City, MI
Small Works Show, The Studios of Key West, Key West, FL
Change of Seasons, Arts Council of White Lake, Whitehall, MI
Hold Dear, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2018
Beautiful Decay, Solo Exhibit, Mott Community College, Flint, MI
Toast, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Slightly Obsessive, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
90th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Festival 2018 Regional Arts Competition, KCAD at the Federal Building, Grand Rapids, MI
Slightly Obsessive, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Collective, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Postcard Salon, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2017
Perception and Intention, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Toast, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
89th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Between Turbulence and Tranquility, LowellArts!, Lowell, MI
Slightly Obsessive, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Everyone in the Pool, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
In Between Here and Gone, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
In Between Here and Gone, Overbrook Gallery, Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, MI
Festival 2017 Regional Arts Competition, KCAD at the Federal Building, Grand Rapids, MI
Freshly Considered, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2016
100x100-100 Sculptors, 100 Sculptures, Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI
sELECTED Works, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
MI Arts:All Michigan All Media Visual Arts Competition, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibit, Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Saginaw, MI
88th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Slightly Obsessive, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Everyone in the Pool, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Collective Alchemy, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
Change of Seasons, Arts Council of White Lake,Whitehall, MI
In Between Here and Gone, Newaygo County Council for the Arts, Fremont, MI
Studio Brew: The Color of Beer, Muskegon Muskegon of Art, Muskegon, MI
2015
Inspired By, Arts Council of White Lake,Whitehall, MI
ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
MI Arts: All Michigan All Media Visual Arts Competition, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Slightly Obsessive, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Everyone in the Pool, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Lookie Here, LaFontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2014
ArtPrize, DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI
Hop, Skip, & a Jump, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Slightly Obsessive II, LaFontsee Galleries, Douglas, MI
Festival 2014 Regional Arts Competition, UICA, Grand Rapids, MI
2013
Art in 8, Arts and Humanities Festival, Muskegon, MI
16th Annual Livonia Exhibition of Fine Arts, Civic Center Library, Livonia, MI
4th Annual Regional Juried Show, South Haven Center for the Arts, South Haven, MI
33 rd Annual Juried Fine Arts Exhibition, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, MI
Earth and Fire, Newaygo County Council for the Arts, Fremont, MI
Festival 2013 Regional Arts Competition, UICA, Grand Rapids, MI
Featured Artist, Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI
Change of Seasons, White River Gallery, Montague, MI
2012
Featured Artist, Howmet Playhouse, Whitehall, MI
84th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Tuesday Night Lights, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
Change of Seasons, White River Gallery, Montague, MI
2011
Tuesday Nights at Rays, Dogwood Center for the Arts, Fremont, MI
Farm Fresh, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Montague, MI
Annual Instructor Exhibit, Nuveen Community Center for theArts, Montague, MI
83rd Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2003-2010
Annual Instructor Exhibit, 2008-2010, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Montague, MI
79th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Expressions of White Lake, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Montague, MI
Muskegon Arts and Humanities Festival, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Featured Artist, White River Gallery, Montague, MI
Change of Seasons, White River Gallery, Montague, MI
And the Winners Are. . ., Newaygo County Council for the Arts, Fremont, MI
Awards
2021 First Place, MI Arts 2021 Juried Exhibition, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland MI
2021 First Place, ACWL-Nuveen Juried Exhibition, ACWL-Nuveen Center, Whitehall MI
2019 First Place, Change of Seasons, Arts Council of White Lake, Whitehall, MI
2018 Gordon Hall Memorial Award, 90th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2018 Juror’s Choice Award, Postcard Salon, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2016 People's Choice Award, Change of Seasons, Arts Council of White Lake,Whitehall, MI
2015 Honorable Mention and Margaret Feldman Kruizenga Memorial Awards, MI Arts:All Michigan All Media Visual Arts, Holland Area Arts Council, Holland, MI
2013 People’s Choice Award, Art in 8, Arts and Humanities Festival, Muskegon, MI
2013 Third Place, 33rd Annual Juried Fine Arts Exhibition, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, MI
2013 Second Place, 4th Annual Regional Juried Show, South Haven Center for the Arts, South Haven, MI
2013 LaFontsee Galleries 3-D Award, Festival 2013 Regional Arts Competition, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
2012 Purchase Awards, 84th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2011 Special Merit Award, Farm Fresh, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Montague, MI
2007 Purchase Award, 79th Regional Exhibition, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Public Artwork
2016 Community Works, community art project, Cherry Creek Elementary, Lowell, MI
2015 Growing Community, community art project, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore National Parks Service, Empire, MI
2013 Full Circle, community art project, Harbor Hospice, Norton Shores, MI
2013 On the River Archway, community art project, Hesperia Public Schools, Hesperia, MI
2012 Conversation, community art project, Newaygo County Council for the Arts Fremont, MI
2010 Grow Garden Grow, community project, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI
2009 Infant of Prague, Resurrection Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 Writer’s Stone, City of Fremont, Fremont, MI
2008 Memorial Garden Cross, First Congregational Church, Fremont, MI
2007 Elements, community art project, White Cloud Middle School, White Cloud, MI
2005 Windwave, Arts Council of White Lake,Whitehall Community Library,Whitehall, MI
2006 New Worlds Through Words, Grant Area District Library, Grant, MI
2005 Garden of the Imagination, community art project, Fremont Middle School, Fremont, MI
2004 Bear with Fish, in collaboration with artist, Lori Hough, Nelson Park, Mount Pleasant, MI
2003 Solace Under a Starry Sky, community art project, Grant Middle School, Grant, MI
2001 Little Wheels, Large Books, Great Minds, created in collaboration with artist Ray Jansma, Fremont Area District Library, Fremont, MI
2001 All Sports, community art project, White Cloud Middle School, White Cloud, MI
Education
1998 B.F.A, Magna cum Laude, Concentration: 3D, Minors: Marketing and Art History, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
1996 International Art Studies under sculptor Jerome Cox, FS.C., M.F.A., Vicchio, Italy
1994-2003 Mentored instruction under artist and architect Ray Jansma, Fremont, MI
Work Experience and Residencies
1999-current Free Lance Artist, Public and Private Sculptural Commissions, Whitehall, MI
2016 Artist-in-Residence, Cherry Creek Elementary School, Lowell, MI
2015 Artist-in-Residence, Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, Empire, MI
2015 ArtPrize Education Days Instructor, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
2015 Guest Artist, West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics, Spring Lake, MI
2013 Artist-in-Residence, Patricia St. Clair Elementary School, Hesperia, MI
2011 Instructor, Drop-In Art, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI
2011 Guest Artist, Paper Casting Workshop, Newaygo County Community Services, Newaygo, MI
2007-2013 Instructor, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Montague, MI
2006-2013 Instructor, Newaygo County Council for the Arts, Fremont, MI
2008,2009 Instructor, Professional Development Institute, Michigan Art Education Association,Kalamazoo, MI
2006-2007 Artist-In-Residence, White Cloud Middle School, White Cloud, MI
2006 Guest Artist Lecturer, Georgia State College and University, Milledgeville, Georgia
2004 Artist-in-Residence, Fremont Middle School, Fremont, MI
2003-2005 Director, Nuveen Community Center for the Arts, Arts Council of White Lake, Montague, MI
2001-2002 Interim Gallery Director, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
2002 Artist-in-Residence, Grant Middle School, Grant, MI
2002 Guest Artist, Paper Casting, Fremont Christian School, Fremont, MI
2001 Guest Artist, Molding Making Workshop, Newaygo County Community Services, Newaygo, MI
2001 Guest Artist, Portraits in 3-D, White Cloud Middle School, White Cloud, MI
2001 Artist-in-Residence, White Cloud Middle School, White Cloud, MI
1999-2000 Program Coordinator, Newaygo County Council for the Arts, Fremont, MI
1997, 1998, 2001 Art Instructor, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Twin Lake, MI