BIOGRAPHY
Born in Israel and raised
in the Washington Heights area of New York City I received
my training at the High School of Art and Design, the Art
Students League and the School of Visual Arts. New York
was a dynamic place during those years and the infectious
spirit of the time and place first ignited my artistic and
creative passions. I have since moved to the South and lived
here most of my adult life, but the formative years of my
art education still influence my work today. BFA, MS, MArtEd
My husband, Bill, and I raised
two children in Hattiesburg, Mississippi I owned and ran
an art school and gallery, Mississippi Artworks, for 10
years. I also taught studio art at Jefferson Davis College,
Gulfport, MS. Loyola Summer Art Program, New Orleans and
De La Salle High School, New Orleans. Our family has since
migrated to the more colorful New Orleans and now calls
it home. You can find me most weekends on the fence around
the historic Jackson Square in the French Quarter, New Orleans,
LA.
Living in New Orleans I am
surrounded by the town’s passionate obsession for
all things culinary. The city thrives on its legendary,
distinct cuisine and I too found a “foodie”
passion: painting the fruits and vegetables that shape so
much of the food here. The colors found in nature are the
most challenging to imitate. The forms are sensuous and
interesting. Being able to place them in a simple yet sophisticated
layout is what keeps me painting every day. I try to paint
what is seasonal and a trip to the local farmers market
in search of new subjects is one of my favorite outings.
I have chosen to work in a
way similar to the techniques used by the Old Dutch and
Flemish masters such as Vermeer and Van Dyke. I begin each
painting with a pencil sketch, followed by underpainting
the entire canvas in a grizaille of black to white oil paint.
Once the grizaille has dried overnight, I apply the first
layer of glaze. Each repeated application is of a different
color and each layer has to dry overnight. I repaint the
painting as often as six or seven times. One painting may
take as long as three weeks to complete. Although this is
quite time consuming, I find that the process allows me
to develop an intimacy with each individual work. My goal
is for the viewer to see the richness and beauty that I
find in my subjects. |
