Over the past 3 years I have taken increasing inspiration from the mandala format, and from textile designs from the 1800's and early 1900's of Europe and America (in particular those catalogued by Susan Meller and Joost Elffers in their 1991 book Textile Design, and Susan Meller's 2007 book Russian Textiles). I have great appreciation for the permission I received from Susan Meller to reference her work. I find myself returning to painting after a strong period of collage and mixed media work. I am finding painting a more engaging process these days, as I have a new appreciation for the complexity behind these original designs. I am intrigued by, and find energy in creating images with strong design elements and bold color. Balancing and unifying the simplicity of basic elements and the nuance of composition challenges my creativity and provides the joy of playfulness, which I take very seriously.