My current work involves photographing small objects against a black velvet background. I use digital software to take them apart and put them back together. This technique is similar to collage, except that I’m working with digital files from my own photographs. What I love about working this way is that I can reimagine. I can create spaces and objects that could not exist otherwise.

In recent years, I have been captivated by the life cycle of plants. Their transitions from growth to decay are not only beautiful but also mirror human qualities and emotions. I often approach plants as I might approach a person when making a portrait, imagining an inner life that reflects something of my own. I work intuitively, experimenting with color, light and form until the image feels right, both visually and emotionally.

As a quick bio:

I grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, often occupied by drawing and painting. School field trips to the Minneapolis Institute of Art introduced me to the work of the Post-Impressionists. My heart still races when I see Van Gogh’s Olive Trees or Bonnard’s Dining Room in the Country. Later, discovering photographers like Diane Arbus and Duane Michals inspired me to embrace photography as an expressive medium.

I hold a BA in painting and an MFA in photography, both from UW-Madison.