The original idea behind the Petite Blue Collection was to make small pieces of blue art, inspired by little gems, visually accessible to all. Over the years I have expanded this collection to include all shapes and sizes. Inspiration can be found anywhere, and what is thrilling for me is turning that inspiration into something concrete and creating art that is available to everyone. I made the original Petite Blue, an image of a ballerina, in 1998 in my studio in San Francisco’s Mission district. Using the sun, cyanotype emulsion and a film positive, my blue ballerina was created. I love the freedom of the process, the richness of the blue and the way the timeless image pops off the canvas. The iconic image of a ballerina with her grace, power, femininity, and beauty are some of the reasons why I began using and still use the image of a ballerina today. With Petite Blue, I use many images that are nostalgic and tell a story of a time and place that many people have connections to. These images range from race cars & sailboats, palm trees & camels to cows & roosters. These are images I consider to be part of my visual library and give me great joy.
