Artist's Statement

Water and figures swimming in water have been a central theme of my paintings for several years. Perhaps it was the hours I spent swimming as a child that has influenced my vision. I delighted in the color and light. It was a world in which I was extremely comfortable; I could move in this translucent element with absolute control. As a mother observing my children swimming, I see that they too feel confidence and joy in water; they navigate with ease.

I am also interested in the array of psychological, spiritual and emotional responses these painting elicit from the viewer. The image of water is a powerful icon. For some, water represents joy, for others it means fear. Water has been used in religious rituals to represent a transformation or rebirth. Water is where we began and is essential to sustaining life. Carl Jung described water as symbolizing the unconscious. All of these rich levels of meaning resonate with me and have inspired me to continue to paint this theme.