My series of paintings in this exhibit, entitled “Reflections on Falling Up,” owe their inspiration to the title and spirit of the Shel Silverstein’s poem, “Falling Up.” This body of work, completed over the past two years, explores implicit thought and emotion in explicit imagery that focuses on the figure. My paintings mirror the journey of relationships in day-to-day life. The figures portray the vagaries of relationships, the joy and pain of connection, and the longing for connection. My recent work has taken on a looser, more expressionistic quality because MS has brought me to rely increasingly on my non-dominant left hand for drawing and painting.

As a visual artist, I continue to utilize drawing and painting to express the complexities of emotion and relationships. I am currently a member of Gallery 114, having joined the collective in November 2014. This past May, I had a solo exhibition at Gallery 114 and have participated in several group shows there as well as in other local venues. Before moving to Portland, I also had the opportunity to exhibit in Washington, DC and the San Francisco Bay area.

In addition to being an artist, I have also embraced a profession in special education as teacher, facilitator, advocate and consultant.