As content, my work is an expression of my relationship with the world, society, family, myself, and God. I look first at my relationships with the people who are physically and emotionally the closest to me, the people of my family. I do this because I have experienced most deeply in the family the same feelings of beauty, love, devotion, deception, vulnerability, loneliness, fear, that I have experienced in the society at large.
I work in various styles and media. My mixed media works, which I call photo-paintings, explore the two different languages of paint and photography. Through painting on photographs I alter the photographic reality, by creating new light/shadow effects, enrich tones, textures, and colors. The figures, in the photographs exist in the external world, but the space surrounding them becomes subjective, a part of the artist interior reality. I have grouped photo-paintings or oil paintings on canvas together as installations. The scale and diversity of an installation better allow me to link experience, memory, tradition, and religion.
My work on canvas is very eclectical in style. I freely respond to the subject matter, composition, color, etc.., and seek to draw an emotional response from the viewers.
My works on Plexiglas and glass are inspired by the imagery and techniques of the 19th century tradition of Eastern European icons on glass. Often I use 2 or 3 layers of glass or Plexiglas and create an image sandwich. This technique allows me to introduce contemporary and personal thoughts into traditional settings. I imagine icons in the context of devotion. Icons help pious people live with hope and faith.

EDUCATION
MFA 1991 in drawing and painting, University of Minnesota
BA 1966 Biology, Bucharest, Romania

SELECTED FELLOWSHIPS and GRANTS
1997 Clowes Fund Regional Fellowship, Indianapolis, IN
1997 Vermont Studio Center Residency Award / Work Exchange Aid, Johnson, VT
1995 Arts Midwest / NEA Regional Visual Artists Fellowship, Minneapolis, MN
1994 Career Opportunity Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board, St Paul, MN
1994 Jerome Foundation Residency Fellowship, Minneapolis, MN
1992 Pollock Krasner Foundation, Inc. Grant, NYC
1992 McKnight Photography Fellowship, St. Paul, MN

SELECTED AWARDS
1998 Excellence Award; "Spiritual ' 98 National Exhibition", Period Gallery, Omaha, NE
1998 Cash Award; “Illuminance”, Lubbock Fine Arts Center, Lubbock, TX
1998 First Place Award; “Liturgical and Sacred Art”, Liturgical Arts Festival of Springfield, IL
1998 Cash Award; “10th Annual National Art Exhibition”, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO
1995 Best of Show; “9th Annual Ecclesiastical Art Exhibition”, Historic Trinity Church, Detroit, MI
1994 Festival Prize; “12th Annual Christian Art Festival”, Cross View Church, Edina, MN
1994 Honorable Mention; “Focus’s Visions of Faith”, Nashville, TN
1993 Honorable Mention; “7th Ecclesiastical Art Exhibition”, Historic Trinity Church, Detroit, MI
1993 First Prize; “11th Annual Christian Art Festival”, Cross View Church, Edina, MN

SELECTED SOLO and INVITATIONAL EXHIBITS
2011, 2004, International Print Triennial Krakow, "Icon Data", Poland
2004 Marxhousen Gallery, Concordia College, Seward, NE
2001 Carlson Tower Gallery, North Park University, Chicago, IL
2000 Marian Library, University of Dayton, OH
2000 International Print Trienniale Krakow, "Bridge to the Future", Poland
1998 South Bend Regional Museum of Art, Art League Gallery, South Bend, IN
1998 Trinity Presbyterian Church, Denton, TX
1997 Kansas City Artists Coalition, Mallin Gallery, Kansas City, MO
1997 Grants Pass Museum of Art, Grants Pass, OR
1996 Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
1996 Eastern Washington University, Gallery of Photography, Cheney, WA
1994 Flanders Contemporary Art Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
1993 University of Minnesota at Morris, Humanities Fine Arts Center, Morris, MN
1993 College of Saint Benedict, Benedicta Art Center, Saint Joseph, MN
1999 Visions Gallery, "Remembering, Responding, Renewing", Albany, NY
1996 Katherine E Nash Gallery, "Figured IN Figured OUT; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
1995 Paul Watkins Gallery, “Vital Space”, Winona State University, Winona, MN
1994 Woodale Church, “Creator, Created, Creating”, Eden Prairie, MN
1992 Katherine E Nash Gallery, “Paintings at the Nash”, Minneapolis, MN

WORKS IN MAGAZINES AND BOOKS
Vermont Studio Center, Lioning Fine Arts Publishing House, 2000, ISBN 7-5314-2061-9
CIVA XXV Faith and Vision, Sandra Bowden, 2005, Square halo Books, ISBN 0-9658798-8-7
The Missing Mary, Charlene Spretnak, 2004, St. Martin Press, ISBN 14003963983
Christianity and the Arts, 1999 vol.6 no.2, Chicago, IL
The National Catholic Reporter, "Jesus 2000", December, 1999
New Art International, 1997, Book Art Press; 0-9653228-2-3
International Women Artists, 1997, Alliance of Women Artists, ISBN 0-9658412-0-0
New American Paintings, 1995 vol.1 no.4, Open Studio Press, ISBN 1-883039-03-7

COLLECTIONS
Grunewald Center for Graphic Arts, UCLA at the Armand Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Billy Graham Museum, Wheaton, IL
The Marian Lybrary, University of Dayton, OH
The Amerind Foundation Museum, Dragoon, AZ
The Museum of Biblical Art, The Biblical Arts Center, Dallas, TX
Private collections: St. Paul, Brooklin Park, Minneapolis, Edina, Plymouth, MN; Moreland Hills, Cleveland, OH; Kansas City, MO; Johnson City, TN; Chapel Hill, NC; Mount Vernon, NY; Bellaire, TX; Indianapolis, IN



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