Artist Statement
As a full-time artist with over 20 years of weaving experience, I have spent the last five years developing a unique practice that transforms retired commercial fishing gear into large-scale woven pictorial art. Working exclusively with materials sourced from Newport's commercial fishing fleet and Port facilities, I reimagine traditional tapestry and basketry techniques through radical changes in scale and material.
Where fine wool weft once carried imagery in traditional tapestry, I now weave with 3/8 and 7/16-inch fishing rope; where cotton seine twine once formed the warp, trawling nets have taken its place. Reclaimed crab rings and repurposed steel frames serve as my looms. This approach allows me to create works that embody the strength and stories of maritime life while expanding the possibilities for where woven art can be displayed and experienced.
With my formal background as an aquatic biologist and educator, I bring scientific understanding to both the materials I use and the marine ecosystems they represent. Working directly with the Port of Newport commercial fishing community, I collect discarded gear that would otherwise enter the waste stream. Each piece becomes a collaboration between artist and fleet, transforming retired gear into narrative art that honors the relationship between maritime work and marine conservation.
This practice addresses urgent environmental concerns while celebrating the resilience of both ocean ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. By working at large scale with materials that carry the maritime history of Newport, I create works that invite viewers to consider the intersection of industry and stewardship.
CV
Education
2022 M.S. Aquatic Biology
Solo Exhibitions
2026 - Weaving Currents: Maritime History and Marine Ecosystems. Runyun Gallery, Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, Oregon
2024 - Weaving Maritime History. Fiber Art Gallery, Lincoln City Cultural Center. Lincoln City, Oregon
Juried or Curated Small Group Exhibitions
2025 - Woven Worlds. Runyan Gallery, Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, Oregon
2024 - Cycles of Nature. Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, Newport, Oregon
2024 - Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, Member's Show. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, Oregon
2023 - Art Studio Tour exhibit. Chessman Gallery, Lincoln City Cultural Center, Lincoln City, Oregon
2023 - Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, Member's Show. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, Oregon
2022 - Phantom Gallery. Art Toledo, Toledo, Oregon
2022 - Mayor's Art Show. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, Oregon
Unjuried Art Community Exhibitions
2025 - Something For Everyone. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport. Oregon
2024 - Celebrating Creativity. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport. Oregon
2023 - Celebrating Creativity. Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport. Oregon
2022 - Push Pin Show. Newport Visual Art Center. Newport, Oregon.
2022 - Tiny But Mighty. American Tapestry Alliance, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Committees
2025 - present - Newport Public Arts Advisory Committee
Active Memberships
Oregon Coast Council for the Arts
Fiber Art Now
Tapestry Weavers West
American Tapestry Alliance
Surface Design Association
Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County
Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce
Training and Workshops on Weaving and Business