Photo encaustics featuring fresh vegetables and fruits, 10x10" on cradled wood panel.

Artist Statement

It is said that some people eat to live and others live to eat. I likely fall into the latter category. I find joy in the colors and textures, tastes and even sounds of many foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. My creative mind sets to work in the produce aisle at a grocery store. I love chatting with the farmer who has grown the food that will fill my belly while at a market or on their beloved land. And I find peace and connection in growing some of my own foods, in harvesting, in putting up. On the cutting board, I see patterns and shapes that inspire. And on the plate, I see a delicious combination of hard work, creativity, and the miracles of the natural world.

The ubiquity of food photos has given me a bit of pause each time I marvel at how beautiful a plate in front of me is, each time I consider making a portrait of my meal. But there is no denying the draw I feel to document this aspect of daily life that brings much joy. I feel it especially in the spring and early summer when the first farm fresh items find their way to the table, and it was in this season that I began shooting the Fresh project.

This series was on display from summer 2016 to spring 2018 at Corks Restaurant at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. These pieces are now available for purchase.