Artist Statement

I have been painting for more than 40 years, yet I see myself as an emerging visual artist. I make colorfully textured mixed media artwork that intuitively shapes possible worlds through imaginative play. Though I make art for myself, I am fortunate that others find value in my artistic efforts, too. I have shown my visual artwork in Columbus (Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, Columbus Museum of Art, Carnegie Gallery, Columbus Dance Theatre Gallery, and in New York City (Macy and Everett Art Galleries). In September 2026, I will curate my first group show, Chasing the Light: Artists Speak, at the McConnell Arts Center. My drawings, paintings and photography may be found in private collections in New York, North Carolina and Ohio. I am grateful to Hammond Harkins Galleries for representing me. 

Artist Bio

Locally, I co-founded, choreographed and performed with Moving Arts Company, performed with ZIVILI & the Columbus Historical Dancers and choreographed on BalletMet’s first company. I founded Global Water Dances Columbus 2023 and continue to enjoy the creative and critical discourse grounded in multi-disciplinary programming enacted on social justice playgrounds across the arts and environmental sciences. My professional artistic and education practices intersect and shape K12 urban schools, cultural arts centers and universities worldwide. Teaching adventures have taken me to five continents. The most memorable are at the University of Baoiji for Arts and Sciences, the Republic of China, Tainan Women’s University for Fine Arts & Technology, Taiwan, National University for the Arts, South Korea; Phoenix Dance Company in Leeds, England; The Ohio State University, Columbia University Teachers College, Otterbein University, Antioch University, and the University of Rio Grande; and in New York City at City Center the 92nd Street Y and Ballet Hispanico.  

Along the way, I earned undergraduate and graduate degrees with honors in dance performance and choreography from SUNY Brockport & The Ohio State University respectively, and a Ph.D. degree in arts administration, education and policy from The Ohio State University. My research critically analyzed urban children’s dance makers as transformative world-makers. I co-founded Columbus City School’s Duxberry Park Arts IMPACT Elementary and Starling STEAM K-8 Schools and taught extensively at Indianola Informal K5 & K8 Schools. As a published author in juried journals I also served as a co-writer of the National Core Arts Dance Standards, National Research Priorities for K12 Dance Education, and for several state and local K12 dance education curricula and assessment working groups. I am a two-time winner of the prestigious Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s Scholar Award for Teaching Excellence, the 2012 OhioDance Award for Contributions to the Advancement of Dance Education, and Teaching Excellence Awards from the Teachers College Student Senate, the Ohio Arts Council and the Columbus City Schools.

In recent years my attention has shifted to visual arts-making as expressive and healing agency for life.