“Look at my work and find the radiant, euphoric joy of an experience in nature. Find peace, curiosity and love for all of the wonders of the universe.”
About Me
I’ve been painting and creating for as long as I can remember, having been blessed with a creative childhood being raised in rural Michigan. Creating can mean a lot of things for a kid, but most of the time that creativity overlapped nature. An entire city built on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan, a bracelet made of wildflowers, animals found in the clouds. As I grew up, I enjoyed spending time outside more and more, and developed a love of telling the earth’s story. I look for the patterns, movements and mysteries of nature, which I translate into landscape paintings.
My landscape work consists of a collection of small marks and lines, which add up to work that feels like it is alive and moving. When I step into nature, the landscape is fleeting. Skies alive with the sunsets one moment, dark the next. I think it is important to tell the earth’s story through my work, finding her beautiful places and letting my hand decide what kind of marks will represent her best. Small details, flowing lines, and an unapologetic use of bold colors is the trademark of my work.
Examples of My Work
Fun Facts
- Challenge- I hike the Manitou Incline at least once a week
- Puppy Love- I have had two red heelers in my life, both completely opposite (grouchy vs. sweet, headstrong vs. eager to learn) but they have both been the loves of my life
- Quiet Time- I love to solo hike more than anything, and experience intense euphoria doing new-to-me hikes in the Colorado backcountry
- Wild- I once met the same black bear three times descending a trail- we just kept bumping into each other, as he took the express route down, and I took the switchbacks
- Pizza Party- I make a mean pizza on the grill- starting with from-scratch dough and slow cooking to crispy perfection.
More About Me
What other non-artist jobs have you had?
I was a high school art teacher for 15 years, before recently resigning to pursue my art full time. I’ve also worked cleaning offices, and I’ve been a cashier, a security guard (for a day- not for me!), and a bartender.
What do you wish you could tell your younger artist self?
Have some confidence, everything will work out the way it is supposed to, despite yourself. I constantly worried when I was younger, but now I realize that life will work out the way it is supposed to, and everything eventually has a purpose or lesson. Go with the flow!
What one (art) item can you not do or go without?
I cannot live without my liner brushes. I use lots of brushes overall, but every painting (big or small) has a huge contribution from a liner brush. Liner brushes are longer and skinny, holding paint nicely while allowing detail. Once in a while I try to paint most of a painting with a larger brush for the sake of looseness, but the liner brush will end up in my hands at least once or twice!