Art has always been a companion in my life.  I remember the distinct smells and experiences of taking my first oil painting class in our small town when I was in elementary school; I still remember the little landscapes painted so many decades ago.  I continued to express myself through art through high school; when I went to college my focus was on music and then business studies, I found little time for art.   Creativity always seeped into little area of my life, but I didn’t begin focusing on art as a regular practice again until my girls were older.

I am not a full-time artist; I balance my drive to create and express myself with a full-time career that I love.  I am in a season of life now that my family is grown to have the time and freedom to create in margins of free time (even if it means sleep is sacrificed).  For me my two complement each other well, each influencing the other and bringing out my best work. 

When I pick up a paint brush, I feel an instant connection to what is happening on the canvas.  I rarely work off a reference photo – choosing to work either freestyle or from small studies I have created from places that come from inside me.  I let the piece lead the story along until I find a place of satisfaction in the work.  My current subject matter is large cloudscapes and landscapes.  Clouds are so unpredictable and embody so much power and emotion.