As a child of immigrants, I have often felt as a person without roots, belonging to two cultures and really to none. I find I search for places that represent “home” and am intrigued and moved by trees with their “arms” and majesty, rooted in another era, timeless and nationless. For 12 years I lived in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), a forest in southwestern Germany. The borders around the Black Forest, like many, having shifted from war to war but it itself does not shift. The Forest stands the test of time by rejuvenating and making room for the new, its strength lying within itself.

In many ways, “place” is an accumulation of experiences, not just a geological point on a map. In my prints, I carve the wood and use color and light to create something that is “extracted” from place and memory. The technique of a reduction woodcut is one of layering colors, usually from light to dark, to create the image, all done on one block of wood. For me, these layers are
abstracted and reminiscent of poetry – describing something that is in the shadows, barely there. My method of “drawing” with Japanese woodcut chisels keeps the marks physical and gestural. The use of wood, paper and pigment to create images of the Black Forest creates a special bond of material and intention. The impression of wood grain itself is often visible in the finished print.