DRAWINGS

My grandfather, Richard G. York, was a Western artist and taught me how to create composition and look critically at shape and color. I have many childhood memories of watching him create colored pencil drawings of landscapes, animals, cowboys, and other Western themes. Later in life, I started learning how to do life drawing (or figure drawing), and drew burlesque dancers in the Twin Cities for a while. 

 

PAINTINGS

I have always gravitated towards natural landscapes, and I aim to create a sense of place in my paintings. Recently I am experimenting with the idea of human impact on our natural spaces, whether through the form of structures created by humans—or humans themselves.

 

My painting professor in college, David Feinberg, had a huge impact on my approach to painting. From him, I learned three important things regarding art:

• Understanding when a painting is “finished”

• What “success” means as an artist

• How to “tame the wild beast” … for me, this means embracing imperfection 

 

FOUND OBJECT

Remember that scene in Ghost World with the tampon in the teacup? That’s where I learned about found object art. I love thrifting and the turning old items into something new.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My dad has a 35mm SLR camera with this crazy-huge telephoto lens that I learned to use.

 

FIBER ART

My mom taught me how to cross-stitch and embroider when I was a young girl.