ARTIST STATEMENT

Approximately 16 years ago I began taking classes at Penland School of Crafts in Spruce Pine, NC, focusing on book arts and Japanese woodblock printing in order to build my knowledge base and experience in crafts that I would pursue following my retirement. As a research virologist with a faculty appointment in the UNC School of Medicine, I had experience in designing, performing and trouble-shooting experiments. And so I found that the design and hands-on processes (and trouble-shooting!) of book sewing and print-making suited me very well.

Initially sewing simple utilitarian Coptic-stitch blank books gave me the confidence to pursue more artistic ways of creating both artist books and boxes. Recently this process has continued with workshops at Penland, and immeasurably strengthened my involvement with a local group, Triangle Book Arts, and learning from local artists through workshops both in Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Raleigh. Embarking on a project in my home studio, I usually have the intention of making a limited series of books or boxes that are structurally related to one another but also differ in design elements, especially in the use and choice of decorative papers. My goal is to produce well-made and attractive objects.