Artist Statement At every stage of my life as an artist, advocate and teacher, I have been inspired by simple form and the beauty of the natural world. Now at this time of deep concern for the changes taking place in the environment and with the once clear beauty now being degraded with woven bits and pieces of human waste and carelessness, I feel the urgency to create artwork that will speak of the consequences of actions that will weaken this beautiful web of life if changes are not made in the way we live.
Since childhood and as a young adult growing up in the 50's and 60's, experiencing the natural world caused me to search for opportunities to join as many organizations and clubs that would allow me to be immersed in the beauty of the environment.
As an adult, my work brought me to a deeper understanding of what the word Mitakuye Oyasin means as used by my Lakota adopted and extended family. It means "all my relations". This understanding has inspired me to rethink how I move through life in the beauty of all creation. No longer seeing the old growth forest as property or only as beauty to admire, but rather seeing all as in relationship with me, as part of the web of life, as my relative.
These are a few of the Organizations with which I have been involved: Western Reserve Land Conservancy, still in the process of placing our Ursuline Sisters old growth forest in a conservation easement; In the 90's - Land Use Task Force, Cleveland Catholic Social Justice Office; CORAL- Ecology, leaders of religious congregations task force on land use; Women Weaving Earth Connections, a workshop of women leaders in North Eastern Ohio; in 2000 - Sustainability Committee, Ursuline College; and presently - Lake Erie Institute, holistic environmental education that supports Earth-honoring global Civilization.