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"The Bear" |
My paintings, drawings and quilts have a spiritual base coming from some unnamable place; my Buddhist practice calls it Rigpa, that which holds everything together... I live in the north, remote from city centers, the "end of the road", as my friends say, in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Since moving here in l998 my work has gotten quieter, calmer, more peaceful: not so many suffering trees; lots of large animals; some Isle Royale islands from a residency there in 1998. It seems more "daily", less ambitious, happier. The pine trees and Lake Superior, bear tracks in the sand, wild berries, cool winds, northern lights. Nature is right here, where I have always wanted to be. My soul is fed by my surroundings and by the people who live here, all very direct and real. No artificial tourist culture to speak of. My old Finnish grandparents' farms are not far away. There is power in these connections; it is strengthening and stabilizing, deepening. All of who we are, what we do, where we live, what we care about, what gives us joy, comes together in our work as artists. For me, being here makes it all easier. |
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"The Listener"
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"Beggar Tree" |