I am a studio artist living in two places. I love the intensity of the natural environment of each place and the contrast between them. The south shore of Lake Superior holds magical water, dense forests and lush vegetation, while the southwest provides an arid desert, rugged mountains, mixed with native cultures. My sculptural fibers, mixed media, and paintings reflect the emotions I feel in these places.

Experimentation plays a big role in my personal approach to art. It is through experimentation that I begin each of my pieces. Many times, I join a variety of techniques and materials together to arrive at unique conceptual work. Whether it’s found objects in the natural environment or man-made, my goal is to allow the piece to develop, given the characteristics of the materials and the influences from my environment. I must give up total control of any former or preconceived ideas, old habits, or new successes. Only then do the materials, the form, and the ideas from my surroundings take charge and become what they will to create unusual introspective structures, mixed media collages, or paintings. When this happens, I become aware of something different in the work . . . something that I had not seen before. This is exciting and refreshing, and to me it is the essence of creativity.

I have shown my work in local, regional, national and international exhibitions, plus my work is in private and corporate collections across the country. I have an MA in Textile and Design at the University of Iowa and taught studio art at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for 17 years. I currently teach workshops in fiber and painting in Tucson, AZ, Iron River, WI and in my Herbster Studio.

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