I am fortunate to have been brought into the world by two very creative parents so it was inevitable that I would have an interest in art. Most of what I know is self-taught, although I did spend one school year totally immersed in art classes at the City College of San Francisco from 1993 to 1994. Afterwards I spent the next several years traveling throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the U.K. In the interim I had my daughter, Ella, my current muse.
I create images that are emotive and tantalizing - impressions representing the core of my imagination, from transient thoughts and deep-rooted memories to endured tribulations. I am fascinated by dreams and the haunting images the mind conjures up while we're asleep. Most of my work is as spontaneous as these unconsious images and I tend to work directly on the canvas, rather than drawing a preliminary study or mixing paints separately on a palette.
I am also interested in spiritualism - not necessarily in the sense that the living communicate with the dead, but more in the sense that I question where our energy goes after we die. In the wonderment of these questions I create dreamy landscapes that represent the state of passing from present life into the next state of being. They are both light and dark, depicting both joy and melancholy, often with the focal point being a window of light or an ethereal, winged being on a path into the unknown. I sometimes incorporate copies of vintage photos into these landscapes - visages of unknown people who have passed on, in order to give them a purpose and to honor those lives that are long forgotten.
I am a perpetual student of art and art history and I continue to study the work of masters, past and present. I am inspired by many great artists and it is my talented uncle, Mark Esper, who gave me my very first drawing lesson and whose own work has been instrumental in fueling my desire to persevere in this challenging career.
Besides art, another passion is music, and during 1998/1999 I played in the New Zealand band, Dating Godot, with Andrew Spittle and Nigel Duncan. We produced two cds: Everyone is Leaving and Nights Through Your Window. In 2000 I came back to the U.S. and have played around here and there, but nothing steady. I played two shows with Richard Davies (The Moles, Cardinal), Malcolm Travis (Bob Mould, Human Sexual Response), and Bob Fay (Sebadoh) at the Cake Shop in New York City last September and since then, the bass guitar has been collecting dust. For more info on these bands, Click Here For DATING GODOT and Click Here For RICHARD DAVIES
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Here is a photo of Dating Godot - circa 1999:
PROJECTS
2006 to Present - Founder and executive director of OUR CHILDREN: Honor with Art
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MUSIC
PAST SHOWS
"SPRUNG" - Masonic Lodge, Dunedin, New Zealand December 14-19, 2007: with Robert Scott, David Kilgour, Graeme Downes, Gaylene, April Dolkar, Haunted Love & more!
September 2007 - The Cake House - 152 Ludlow St. NYC: Richard Davies, Bob Fay, & Shawn Marie Hardy
December 1999 - Arc Cafe - Dunedin, New Zealand - Andrew Spittle and Shawn Marie Hardy
October 1999 - Nelson Community Center / Anti-vivisection concert - Nelson, New Zealand - Dating Godot (Andrew Spittle, Shawn Marie Hardy, and Nigel Duncan) September 1999 - Nelson Community Center - Nelson, New Zealand - Dating Godot (Andrew Spittle, Shawn Marie Hardy, and Nigel Duncan)
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SOLO ART EXHIBITIONS
2008 - River House Restaurant - West Linn, Oregon
2008 - Starbucks (Garden Home) - Beaverton, Oregon 2007 - Cappuccino Cafe April & May - East Lansing, Michigan
2004 - IRENE'S - Lansing, Michigan
1999 - Fibre Spectrum (Juried Exhibition) - Nelson, New Zealand
1999 - Chez Eelco - Nelson, New Zealand
1995 - Bay View Boat Club - San Francisco, California
UPCOMING
........stay tuned........
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GROUP ART EXHIBITIONS
PAST SHOWS
December 2007 - "SPRUNG" an art and music extravaganza - Masonic Lodge, Dunedin, New Zealand December 14-19: with Robert Scott, Graeme Downes, Gaylene & Pter, April Dolkar, Chris Matthews, The Puddle, & Alpha State!
July 15th 2006 - Art at the Forge Exhibition - North Commerce Park (Old Melling Forging Building) - Lansing, Michigan
June 16th & 17th 2006 - Portland Community Art Fest (Juried Exhibition) - Portland, Michigan
2004 - Ladyfest at Spiderhouse Gallery - Lansing, Michigan
2004 - Spiderhouse Gallery - Lansing, Michigan
1999 - Suter Art Gallery (Juried Exhibition) - Nelson, New Zealand
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TEACHING
2005-2006 Volunteer Art Instructor - Oakwood Elementary School - Portland, MI
2004-2006 Ebay Workshop Instructor - Delta Community Center, Lansing, MI
2005 Volunteer Art Instructor - Boarshead Theater - Lansing, MI
2005 Small Business/Ebay Lecturer - MOMS Group - Grand Ledge, MI
2003-2005 Volunteer Art Instructor - Delta Center Elementary School - Lansing, MI
2003 Art Instructor - Holt Public Schools Community Education (Midway and Dimondale Elementary) - Holt & Dimondale, MI
1999-2000 Art Instructor - Nelson Community Center - Nelson, New Zealand
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PUBLICATIONS
2008 - Honor with Art is featured during March at ZNE's Art with Heart - radio interview on March 10, at ZNE's BlogRadio
2008 - Jan/Feb issues of Stampington & Co. Publications - 1/2-page ad for Honor With Art
2007 - Dream Interview www.dreamish.com
2004-Present - The Cumbria Directory Website - United Kingdom: Lanercost Priory
2002 - The City Pulse, Independent Newspaper - Lansing, MI
2001 - Lansing State Journal (Internal Journal Newsletter)
1999 - The Leader - Nelson, New Zealand Community Newspaper - Arts & Entertainment
1999 - The Leader - Nelson, New Zealand Community Newspaper - Gallery Guide
1999 New Zealand Musician Magazine - Fresh Cut. CD Cover.
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CURATORSHIP
December 2007 - "SPRUNG" an art and music extravaganza - Masonic Lodge, Dunedin, New Zealand December 14-19: with Robert Scott, Graeme Downes, Gaylene & Pter, April Dolkar, Chris Matthews, The Puddle, & Alpha State!
April - September 2007 - Top 8 Gallery - Gallery 801- www.myspace.com/top8galleryone. Featuring the work of Martin Devine, Betty Refour, Colin White, Marilyn Suchan, Judith Dransfield Kuepper, and Robert Scott
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HONORS AND AWARDS
May 2008 - Finalist in CNN / Nancy Grace "Extraordinary Parent" contest
January 2008 - Patron's Mention - EBSQ "WIP - Unfinished Art" Show
July 2007 - Patron's Mention - EBSQ "Ripped Off" Show
June 2007 - Patron's Mention - EBSQ "Light My Way - Artist-made Lanterns" Show
June 2007 - Patron's Choice - EBSQ "FOTM (Flower of the Month)" Show - Morning Glory
April 2007 - Patron's Mention - EBSQ "Wild Birds" Show
March 2007 - Patron's Choice - EBSQ "Lichen and Moss" Show
January 2007 - Member's Choice - EBSQ "The Urban Street: Photographs from Town" Show
January 2007 - Patron's Choice - EBSQ "FOTM (Flower of the Month)" Show - Water Lily
August 2006 - Patron's Choice - EBSQ FOTM (Flower of the Month) Show - Petunia
July 2006 - Member's Choice - EBSQ "Plein Air" Show
July 2006 - Member's Mention - EBSQ "Underground" Show
March 2006 - Member's Mention - EBSQ FOTM (Flower of the Month) Show - Daisies
March 2006 - Juried into EBSQ Plus
August 1999 - First Place - Nelson Photography Club Photo Rally - Nelson, New Zealand
December 1994 - Achievement Award - City College of San Francisco, California
