My backyard studio, a converted tool shed, is tiny and invariably cluttered. And there's no place I'd rather be.
About Me
I'm a painter working in various media--oils, acrylics, water media, collage, monoprint, and more. Working abstractly permits me to obliquely capture what inspires me: my garden, the Pacific Northwest's environments, the changing climate, and the sheer joy of making visual work. I love incorporating mark-making into my paintings, because I believe drawing is painting's equal.
When I'm not in the studio, I garden, cook, walk, read, and spend too much time on Instagram. I enjoy traveling, and usually center my trips around museums and galleries.
Examples of My Work
Fun Facts
- • School- In art school, my drawing instuctor annually assigned a notorious project: rendering five glass Coca Cola bottles in graphite. I bristled at the coercive aspect of the assignment, and got an A for drawing five Coke bottle caps.
- • Childhood- My favorite childhood present was a flat box of Crayola crayons--scores of 'em. My brothers would quiz me on the colors, holding up each crayon but hiding its name. I was an unfailingly accurate crayon nerd!
- • Hobbies- My love of making soups and stews is what gets me over the transition from the golden days of summer to the gray months of fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest.
- • My Other Life- As a children's librarian, I served on the Caldecott Committee and selected the children's materials for a 20-branch public library sytem.
- • My Other Other Life- I waited tables for 10 years, which has made me an excellent tipper.
More About Me
What one (art) item can you not do or go without?
My art kit for traveling always includes a multi-leaded pencil. I like being able to twist and swirl it into multiple bursts of color. I've used it as a mark-making tool in paintings, too!
What do you wish you could tell your younger artist self?
Your art practice is about your art, not the art world. Find your true, unique expression by making a lot of work. Don't stop.
When did you know you were an artist?
I was always a creative kid. Even though my family wasn't "arty" and didn't have money for extras like art supplies, my parents noticed and encouraged my need to draw. In third grade, I got in trouble with Sister Regine Marie for the drawings that covered the pages of my math notebook. So I guess that was about the time I figured it out!