Although I didn’t grow up in the art world, I did grow up in a creative environment. Influenced by my

mother and grandmothers, I learned to make things, use what I had, and find creative solutions.

Creating in one form or another has always been a natural part of my life.

In 2014, a friend and fellow artist encouraged me to start painting

again. That encouragement reignited my passion for painting. However, as I returned to my oil and

acrylic paints, I quickly got frustrated mixing colors again. Then I discovered the beautiful soft pastel

landscapes at a prominent juried art fair featuring artists from across the region and beyond. I was

intrigued by their vibrancy and by the way artists could layer colors to create their paintings without

mixing them. I spent the next couple of years asking questions and getting to know the artists.

Eventually, one of them gave me a list of supplies and told me not to come back the next year

unless I had tried them. So I did. I loved it immediately and never looked back. I was hooked!

At first, I was mostly self-taught and experimented when I could. During the pandemic, I discovered

artists on YouTube who generously shared their demonstrations and techniques. That opened up a

whole new way of learning. Adding in some online classes and learning from artists in a variety of

mediums helped me continue to grow.

Today, I’m most interested in the story behind a place or moment. It might be a memory I want to

hold onto, a quiet moment, or simply something that catches my eye. I look for the light,

atmosphere, and structure that will help bring that feeling to the painting.

My work has received local and regional awards and has been included in juried exhibitions at the

local, regional, national, and international levels