Drawing and painting are a passion in my life. As a little girl I would beg to be given the white butcher paper wrappings from my mother on which I would draw and color for hours. My first drawing lesson was in 1st grade in a rural Midwest schoolroom. Mrs. Olsen drew an elephant on the chalkboard using letters of the alphabet! I was thrilled to learn how to take those lines to create an image! As a teenager my frequent request for Christmas was a set of acrylic paints from the Sears and Roebuck Catalog (which I did finally receive when I was sixteen). I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the University of Arkansas in the late 90's and achieved my dream of an academic art degree. Working in the graphic design and photography field has been rewarding, but returning to the studio to become a full-time painter is a dream fulfilled.
While taking refresher classes at the Arkansas Art Center I discovered two books one by Sherrie McGraw and another by David Leffel. Their abstract realism approach to drawing and painting was exactly the technique I wished to develop in my own work. I have grown to love painting out of doors, so the majority of my small landscapes are painted on site. My rural background draws me to scenes of the land and spaces around me.
On quiet days in my studio I search through my still life shelves and set up something that pleases my eye or work from one of my landscape references. As an emerging artist I have worked very hard to develop a sound painting foundation to help my work become stronger. On a weekly basis I have studied plein air painting in Arkansas with instructor Victoria Harvey Oil Painter of America member. Searching out instruction on a national level has been a priority since returning to fine art, bringing me to Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia to study with Darren Kingsley and Stephen Early. Most recently I completed a fourth workshop at the Scottsdale Artist School with David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw and Jackie Kamin of the Bright Light Artist Guild. Other workshops have included studying with Timothy Tyler Art Renewal Center certified atelier, Juliette Aristedes also an Art Renewal Center atelier and Rose Franzten. My most recent landscape workshops with Gregg Kruetz of New York City and Roger Dale Brown of Nashville, TN also an Art Renewal Center Master have helped me add depth and richness to my work.