To step back a bit, the transition from summer into winter was not a season that lent itself to much time painting in the studio.
Our family was navigating a series of challenges—illness, loss, moves, and the preparation and sale of real estate. Mike and I focused on grieving and tending to these responsibilities, while the studio and paints sat mostly untouched.
Since January arrived, I’ve slowly returned to painting, beginning with a couple of pieces inspired by our trip to Italy last spring. Certain images linger with me long after the moment has passed, and these two paintings grew out of images that simply wouldn’t leave my thoughts.
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| Yoshiko at the Mountain Cabin |
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| March of the Gondoliers |
I see these paintings as a kind of warm-up—an easing back into the work—rather than a signal that my next direction will be about Italy. As my dedicated “Year of the Pond” draws mostly to a close, I find myself digging into ideas for my next series. My thoughts are turning toward pattern, mark-making, and a stronger push into abstract realism.
I recently came across a definition of abstract realism that resonated with me: “A bridge between the concrete and the intangible.”
With that in mind, I’ve been looking through my earlier work and rediscovering pieces that rely heavily on pattern and collage while still telling a story.
One example is Sound Bites, based on a scene at a street corner in San Francisco during Fleet Week. I was captivated by a group of women sailors who were completely ignoring the attention-seeking efforts of the male sailors nearby.
Sound Bites |
Caribbean Cornrows is another piece driven by pattern. While the first version incorporated collage materials, the version shown below is transparent watercolor on paper.
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| Caribbean Cornrows 2009 |
At this moment, I find myself looking backward in order to move forward—building a bridge between then and now. While my skills have certainly expanded over the years, my love of pattern has remained a constant thread.
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