Biography
Ā I grew up with a family that spent summers camping and hiking.Ā Combine this with an
Artistic creative father and it was only natural for me to develop a love for the outdoors
And create art based on nature.Ā Although many of my fatherās photos seemed to be
Influenced by ANSEL ADAMS, my major influence was Impressionism.Ā Having
Camped and traveled in many of the areas they painted in France I felt an affinity to
landscapes in many ways.
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My paintings simply represent my passion for the natural world seen though my eyes.
For me, itās all about light and how it interacts with color and form in the environment.
I usually paint or Iām inspired by real locations, areas that I feel connected to.Ā My
Paintings are often based on the local landscapes of hills, marshes and woodlands
To the Rocky Mountains.Ā
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I am essentially a self-taught artist, guided by my father who was a photographer. I
Experimented and attended workshops for many different mediums throughout my life.
Pen and ink and oil paint where my favorite growing up and still use colored pencils
And pencils to draw landscapes.Ā
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School is a way of forcing us to make decisions and in high school I decided to
Continue my education in art and art history.Ā I knew I could continue painting murals
And exploring my artistic side while pursuing a degree in art and art history.Ā Some of
The only way I could travel was to be a ticket agent and a flight attendant.Ā I eventually
Spent over 15 years working for US Airways and then Express Jet flying for United
Express.Ā While they were very interesting jobs, I still felt most passionate about
Creating art and continued to paint, focusing on it full time while raising a family.
I have been an artist as long as I can remember but since junior high for sure.. Took art in high school for 3 years and dropped out in 12th grade to go paint. Went to college got a degree in art and art history .I graduated from a school with no grades in my Bachelor's program. It was narratives, you earned an A - The professors wrote about your art.
I do love oil but I pretty much love oil painting the most. I think the Italians Renaissance and Netherlands artist were the best artist. I tried to get into the modern era like Impressionism but I really fond of 16th century art . I do like Picasso , Matisse and Leonardo da Vinci plus Renaissance art anything from Europe .Mostly now when you look everyone paints in acrylic. Iām into Georgia O'Keefe and Edward Hopper from the USA. Really love their landscape paintings . Look closely Night Hawks was sold for $4,000 to the Art Institute in Chicago in the 1940's
As I child I entered contests and won at 5 years old. That win led me to love art, and I took art in high school all 3 1/2 years where I left early and at the age of 17 I worked for California originals where we painted ceramics before they fired for stores. It was super cool . Always young and rebellious I left school at 17 to paint murals and ceramics. I do not beleive that jewelry, clay art, (little figurines are real classic fine art) I do not like sculpture unless it is bronze.
My main goal is bringing happiness to the viewer. I love to draw. I think the last 20 years I have been relearning how to draw and I do love drawing with colored pencils and markers. Painting is a solidary pursuit and do paint alone.
Art is a life time of learning. Mainly an oil and acrylic painter. Love animals , and landscapes always studying wildlife in my yard in Fayetteville Arkansas. I attended one year at the University of Arkansas 1997-98 . Graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz 1993 Art and Art History Bachelors Degree I think after I went to the university I really learned that it isn't necessary to go to art school but it really helps you see how wonderful your other students are in their creative process so therefore I was never regretful that I went to college for art. I felt like I won the lotto.
