FROM THE ARTIST

Like most children, I started making “stuff” as a small child. It wasn't until I was a victim of art theft at the age of 8 that I understood what I made might be good.  Someone wanted my paper mache duck!

I won my first ribbons in high school and discovered a passion for art that would guide and empower me through my life. In my thirties, I began taking art seriously and found comfort in the healing nature of the creative process. ​I began my formal art studies at Berea College, my first love was sculpture, and it was my main focus. I soon left my decade-long work as a medical assistant to pursue a full-time career as an artist. What a journey it has been and continues to be.

I looked to nature for materials to work with after my studies ended. I started making Earth Spirits, which were figures with wire armatures that were then woven with honeysuckle vine or fiber. Found items from the forest, such as bones, pods, and pieces of wood made extraordinary faces. I juried into the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsman’s with them under mixed media sculpture. I later began working and casting with paper. After more than 10 years working on direct and indirect sculptural processes I was ready to try something new. I wanted more color in my life and painting seemed like a good way to begin.

​I am currently painting in a style referred to as Intuitive Abstract. Intuitive painting is a call and response relationship with color, line, and shape. I use transparent acrylics with many layers to achieve vibrant color and a sense of depth. I begin laying down color on the canvas. Then I select another color that might work well with the first or build on a shape that interests me. I keep this process going until the painting is complete.  This process encourages my growth as a painter, as I consistently make new discoveries. My sculptures and paintings are displayed in both private and public collections including universities and hospitals.

In addition to creating my own artwork, I offer Art for Self-Expression workshops and freelance as a creative consultant in many venues, including nonprofits, corporate and healthcare settings. Learn more here.