 1994 Show - Skidmore College, Saratogs Springs NY |
My love of textiles and working with my hands began when I
was very young. By the time I was in high school I had become an
accomplished seamstress and was designing and creating my own clothing.
Many years ago a friend of mine showed me her floor loom. I was so
enthralled with the idea of being able to create my own fabric that I
decided I had to have a loom. I bought my first loom and have
been weaving ever since. I've gone from weaving yards and yards of
fabric to original artwork and now smaller accessories.
Over the years I've also developed a love of the sea and being on the water. My husband, Alan, and I have owned boats for as long as I can remember. In 2002 we started a day sail charter business in Mystic CT on our 40 foot motorsailer, "Mystic Jitney". In September 2004, after we had both retired from our "real jobs" we left Mystic and headed south down the intra-coastal waterway to Florida. In the summer of 2005 we purchased our second boat, "Island Girl", a Leopard 40 Caramaran which we have in charter in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, Bahamas. We now spend the winter months in southern Florida living aboard "Mystic Jitney" with occasional charters aboard "Island Girl" in the Bahamas. Since we spend so much time on our boat I'd been searching for an art form that I would enjoy and that would be portable. I now spend my winter months on the boat beading and weaving belts on my small inkle loom. During the rest of the year when I'm at home I design and create "Bahama Mama Bags", unique handbags and totes using a beautiful hand batik fabric, Androsia, made on the Island of Andros in the Bahamas. Like the Chameleon my work changes depending on my location and time of the year. I hope you enjoy the samples of my work. |