Through the use of repurposed packaging and items, the Breadth of Being project reminds us of some of our universal and personal connections with other people. Can we see that we have common humanness? Can we acknowledge that we share many interests and aspects in the universe? Can this be a safe zone where we find space to accept our likenesses and our differences? Can we then treat each other with more compassion? Do we toss out our connections with people like we toss our possessions, or do we choose to use these available bonds to work together to build a better world?

A Kentuckian my entire life, I love the old beauty of the land and the people. Many assumptions and prejudices attempt to mark Kentuckians as a lesser-than people. But it isn’t so. Many Kentuckians still move through the world like neighbors – still wave hello from a steering wheel, help with a flat tire, knock at your door with a casserole to share during hard times. Old school, yes, but good old school – interested old school, kind-hearted old school.

As a kid, I loved to open the wax-scented box of colorful crayons. I didn’t want to alter the crisp stick and fresh paper wrapper but I could not resist the rub of
color onto stark paper, within lines and not. Color on top of color or beside. I
watched the blends and the contrasts, the negative spaces emerge and change. I enjoyed the alteration of a space into something new, something with my mark upon it.

I studied art studio/painting at the local university, worked in the graphic arts for a couple of decades with billboard production and sign design. I felt that I vacated what I considered to be fine art, but bills were paid from my work.

After the death of my husband, art played a major role to help me work through emotions toward a new recovery of myself. At night in my home studio I played with colors and textures. The decisions and results guided me back into a part of life that I greatly missed – creativity. During this dark time I re-learned the importance of a creative life for me, the necessity of it, and I rediscovered many reasons to not abandon myself again.

I’m still painting and still love this method of expression. Lately I paint from photographs I shot while in northern New Mexico at one of Ghost Ranch’s Artist in Residence programs I’ve participated in. The sky, landforms and colors are astounding and a challenge to capture as  daylight shifts.

For me, the most rewarding aspect of my art career is the peace that I attain while working. In my creative zone I focus on the problem to be solved, the next best step. This focus means stress and bigger problems take a rest, wait until later. The problem at hand may be how to mix that gray-green desert shrub color or will this paper shape fit into this collage. These are not the big life questions to answer, but to the artwork, they are everything. And to me, my process is important in that moment of creative choice.

I love to share the gifts of creativity with others through classes and gatherings. The peaceful zone of creativity is a wonderful human experience and beneficial to blend into many other areas of life. My art process reminds me that creativity gifts peace and choice.