Artist's Statement

Books, of all shapes, sizes and forms, have held a prominent place in my life for over 40 years. As an undergraduate student, I began my training in the field of book and paper restoration at the University of Utah’s Marriott Library. This experience gave me a valuable foundation in the history, science and art of paper, and bookmaking. During this  time, I also had the opportunity to study book design, paper making and letterpress printing at the California College of Arts and Crafts and at the University of Nevada’s Black Rock Press. Eventually this led to the establishment of  Red Butte Press, a Limited Edition Fine Press at the University of Utah’s library, where I also taught classes on the history and practice of hand press printing and book making. 

A few years later an internship in rare book conservation at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. provided me the opportunity to explore and work with an extraordinary collection of rare and unusual books from around the world. This experience sparked an interest and a new passion for both traditional and non-traditional book structures. It also sparked a need for change,  resulting in a move from the desert of Utah to the “evergreen” Pacific Northwest where I  began teaching classes in the Book Arts as a resident artist in the schools. Teaching inspired me to explore and expand my concept of the book in exciting and unusual ways, such as creating a 5’ wooden accordion Haiku book, a walnut book, and books that hung from the ceiling and climbed up the wall.

After years of traveling, visiting schools throughout the Northwest, it was time to stay put for a while. This led to a position as Youth Services Librarian at the Port Townsend Public Library, while continuing my work as a book artist.

Today, I continue to create one-of-a kind artist books, experimenting with paper structures, working in my garden and volunteering at our local animal rescue center. My work can be found in local and regional galleries and the artist book collection at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.