info

born and raised in arizona, i grew up fascinated with the vast landscapes and how the built environment intersected those spaces. this led to my pursuit of a b.s. in architecture (1994) where i was able to further expand my interest in space and develop a more sophisticated awareness of constructed realities. the observation of something as “real”, is tenuous at best; our perceptions from which we gather information are tied to precise moments and then are vulnerable to being persuaded. years later i received an m.f.a in painting (2001). i found within my painting practice, a space where i explore the visual complexities of rendered illusions, textured surfaces and elusive patterns, that can be perceived as both actual and pictorial space. my recent work not only uses the relationship of these conceptual ideas, but it also brings together a mix of processes that seeks to blur the boundaries beyond traditional labels, allowing the work to become both image and object collaborating to continually reinvent the viewer’s observed reality. i have continued to be fascinated with the subtle manipulations of these invented realities and have used opportunities to study and learn from artisans around the world to expand my use of materials and design new ways to perceive space.

i am equally a visual artist and a teacher. i am inspired, committed and driven to educate my students and feel privileged to do so at my alma mater, arizona state university, where i have been teaching since 1998. serving as educator and mentor provides me an opportunity to participate in the lives of so many, watching them grow and mature, as artists and humans. my goals in teaching go beyond disseminating information and pushes deeper into a space that requires emotional courage and authentic truth. i try to live as i teach, and my rewards are my students.