artist bio

about me

as a young girl growing up in atlanta, my mother recognized my passion for art and enrolled me in private lessons. this early nurturing of my talents led me to being awarded two consecutive scholarships to study at the atlanta college of art. my studies have developed into an expansive working knowledge in a variety of mediums with a special emphasis on fiber and textile arts.

as an exhibiting artist and instructor, i have received many accolades including being one of 80 artists selected from over 2,500 worldwide entrants in the prestigious “designed to wear” exhibition in portland, oregon in 1994 and a featured artist at the long beach museum of art. as an advocate for the arts, i owned and operated artscape gallery from 1995-2000, where my greatest joy was in nurturing many emerging artists.

creating signature pieces that are beautiful and functional is my passion and my breadth of work has included wall hangings, soft sculptures, apparel, accessories and jewelry. with numerous avid collectors, my wholesale clients have included museum stores, and upscale boutiques in california and hawaii.

about the purses

these one of a kind, hand-fabricated bags are created for the woman that appreciates her own uniqueness and reflects that in her style.  designed with optimum functionality in mind, versatile from day to evening, jeans to formal wear, and made of the finest of materials.

my desire is for every woman to cherish her own power and beauty. as a counterpoint to “carrying around baggage,” discreetly embroidered inside every bag is an empowering positive affirmation. 

over many decades i've collected exotic, unique and rare textiles and trims and my work is created from these luxurious fabrics: hand-dyed silks, velvets, brocades, ikats, batiks, vintage specialty fabrics and antique kimonos and obi. these heirloom purses are individually designed utilizing custom embroidery, passementarie, hand beading, or other techniques and are numbered and copyrighted and can be registered with me.

about helping women

many, many years ago, when i was 19, i married a man who became abusive. with time, i put myself beyond that. the crucial thing to my recovery was the support i received from a talented artist, dedicated teacher, and loving mentor, karen, who encouraged me to do a piece of artwork about the experience. the result was a 4' x 5' embroidery that was exhibited at a college student art show and to a women's art group. creating the work was cathartic. exhibiting it was mind-blowing. i was shocked at how many women came up to me, privately, furtively, and thanked me for being brave enough to share it. then they indicated in whispers and palpable pain that they shared similar experiences. most said they'd never told anyone about it.

on february 29, 2004, i was raped. it's surprising how rarely abuse and rape is discussed considering its frequency. but i knew after it happened that, for my own health, i needed to verbalize about it. so i wrote. i told all my girlfriends. i even told several men. and now i'm telling anyone reading this. it is my way of desensitizing and de-stigmatizing the horrible violation of body and spirit. from the moment it happened, i was determined to not be a rape victim. i am a rape survivor.

in addition to the loving support of friends and family, i owe much to erin, my counselor at the santa monica rape treatment center. there are wonderful resources available for women and no one needs to suffer in silence. this is why i donate a portion of my sales to support these important organizations, and try to encourage solidarity amongst women.

it is said that life is short. but i say love is short. at this stage in my life, i choose to support causes i believe in, do work i feel passionate about, and love the worthy lavishly.

but the core of love, and good health, is in the self. we are what we think. we can re-program and strengthen our minds. we can soothe our spirits. we can help others heal.  this is why, after everything, i am unafraid to be, as i term it, a love warrior.

on our deathbeds the minutiae of life that so occupy us daily will be completely unimportant:  that we loved and were loved, and that our existence somehow improved the world will be. this is why i share all this, and why i include inside every purse my wish for you. think of it as verbal armor. now, go out there and be your fantastic self!