My art is inspired by observations of interpersonal relationships and recollections of sentimental locales and events as well as the fascination with particular items, especially in nature: people, places, and things. Throw in a large dose of early imprinting with church, international travel, and the “3 M’s”—music, museum, and the military, and the “recipe ingredients” for my paintings emerge.
The House Next Door At The Jersey Shore
There used to be a one-bedroom rental next to our house at the Jersey Shore. As my now-adult sons grew from toddlers to teenagers, they witnessed the messy reality of life at that house.
The left panel commemorates a mom in the house next door celebrating her son’s return from jail for dealing marijuana. She threw him a Get Out of Jail Party, complete with a striped cake and banners.
The middle panel revisits another renter, a guy with a gorgeous, sensual, often scantily-dressed girlfriend, who was a feast for my teenage son’s eyes. Their house was robbed early in the summer. In August, when my son discovered pot growing in our back-yard, I realized what there was to steal at the house next door.
The right panel depicts another summer renter, a mom with a 5-year old. At 6:30 in the morning, with my windows open, I’d hear the little girl riding her trike on the sidewalk yelling, “Mommy. Mommy.” I finally got it. Mommy was entertaining her lover in the only bedroom in the house, while her daughter was locked outside.
Which Has More Weight?
Which has More Weight? Dead leaves and money or loved ones that have become angels?
The Givers &
The Takers
It’s been my observation over the years that people tend to fall into these two categories: the empaths and the narcissists. Generally the narcissists are cleverly disguised and the empaths are not.
Wolf
Most people recognize the description “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.” It aptly describes a gaslighter — a priestly figure with the conscience of a devil.
Divided
There are individuals that function from the neck up (intellectuals) and those that function from the neck down (feeling people).
Ice Cream Doesn’t
Fix It
Losing someone you love is not fixed by any amount of ice cream.
Three-Two-One
The word “Nice” was used to describe an amazing “job.” I felt it was purposely innocuous and condescending, so I decided to do a little investigating into the various meanings of the adjective.
Which Way
A person whose personality changes on a dime can be very confusing. Avoid them.
People Throw Rocks At Shiny Objects
I have had the unfortunate experience of watching individuals team up to “throw rocks” at outstandingly kind humans who shine with their goodness.
Jersey Girl
My parents retired to the Jersey Shore when I was in 5th Grade. My life was very simple, with enjoyments like string tricks (Jacob’s Ladders) and a plethora of 45 records and American Bandstand!
Invitation To An Execution
While excited about getting together with old friends for a dinner party, in the back of my head I was somewhat reticent. With a myriad of interesting topics to discuss, the hostess decided to focus on a tragic event for which one of the invitees old boyfriend’s brother had been incarcerated…not exactly uplifting or appropriate.
Not Exactly
Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
Summer is usually a time for a vacation filled with joy, but this particular summer wasn’t. Starting with poison ivy, a hospital biopsy, and finishing with my mother dying, it was one to forget.
People In Grass Houses Shouldn’t Throw Rocks
People who are not living their best lives shouldn’t be throwing negatives at others. It is important to look within before looking without.
Lists
How a woman feels when contemplating the lists she needs to accomplish.
Rules
Some households are very restrictive, with many rules to follow prescriptive protocol, like “No Peeing on the grass! “ and “Do not disrupt the place settings!” God forbid that you don’t know better.
Cinderella Goes Hunting
Some women spend the better part of their lives hunting for a man to complete their lives instead of making themselves complete. Dressed to kill with boob jobs and botox, these “spiders” hunt for a specimen to trap in their webs.
Pam’s Purse
A personal frustration shouldn’t translate into a criticism of another person.
Three Strikes
A close look at a history of choices tells you a lot about patterns. Three strikes should equal an “out”.
Seared Into Memory
A very frightening experience as a child was seared into memory.
My father had a heart attack on the train from Venice to Rome. He was taken off the train in Bologna and sent to the hospital in an ambulance with me as an interpreter, because I could speak German to the Italians who did not speak English.
At the hospital, a nun dropped a wire container with vials of my dad’s blood. From his window, I could see fields of artichokes. He wrote us a postcard during his month-long stay there after we had to return to Germany.
Toxic Tag Teams
I was a witness to a duo’s skillful operation of tearing down kind, talented, beautiful people. One made the snowballs (in other words, the coach or instigator) and gave the “orders” to the “mouth,” who ripped into the object of the attack.
Love On The Rocks
This is a portrait of a loveless marriage. I observed someone waiting for their partner to die while participating in numerous time killing activities.
Dilly’s Dogleg Down
With all of the possible compliments that could have been uttered, Dilly, the golfer, decided to concentrate on his assessment of his partner’s “ugly knees.” A typical narcissist coupled with an empath.
Just Say No To Grass
An over abundance of chemicals put on lawns has led to a lot of pollution of our waterways in Florida.
Splendor In The Grass
In life you have the bitter with the better. This is a compilation of just that. The glass ultimately is half full.