I began painting professionally after retiring from a full career as a trauma specialist in the field of psychology. From early childhood I was drawn to and enthralled with art, painting, and the Southwest culture. When I retired from my private practice in New York and relocated to Tucson, Arizona in 1998, I picked up a paintbrush and took a leap of faith into the unknown. That began a soul-searching decade of self-discovery, mentorship and successes in the very competitive art world, and paved the way to gallery representation. This journey has filled a childhood yearning to create art the way I saw it using bold color and design and unlocked the excitement of seeing it all come to life on my canvas.
From 2010 to 2016 I was juried into the prestigious Mountain Oyster Art Show in Tucson Arizona. Additionally, Jane Hamilton Fine Art invited me to show in her very successful gallery in Tucson from 2016 to 2021. From 2014 to 2018 Tracy Miller Galley in Manitou Springs, Colorado represented me as well. I was invited by Doug Monsoon, artist and gallery owner of Western Skies Fine Art in Afton, Wyoming to exhibit my work in his new gallery in 2021 to date, and recently joined Esther Rogoway’s Horses In Motion Gallery in Tubac, Arizona. I have been fortunate in my career to have the support and encouragement of my fellow artists and gallery owners throughout my travels into this wonderful world of art.
My style of painting is easily recognized and my work has been promoted in prestigious publications such as Southwest Artist, Western Art Collection, and Art of the West. Some of my most exciting moments in art were my invitation to jury and acceptance into Small Works Great Wonders annual show in 2019 at the National Cowboy and Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as acceptance into Cowgirl Up Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona in 2017.
Determination, learning from my experiences, and never taking no as a final answer have opened many a door for me. That approach brought with it opportunities that have broadened my exposure to an array of avid western art collectors and allowed me to meet the wonderful female artists I have had admired from afar.
Statement
My hope is that the uniqueness of my wildlife art will inspire a reaction in the viewer. The eyes of my wild critters are a bridge to connecting to their humanity and wildness. Facial expressions reveal their emotions, perhaps the gentlest of hearts, shyness, whimsy or suspicion and fear. The execution of shapes, lines, colors and texture provides a tactile sensation. My desire is that the viewer will hold onto that experience long after viewing my work and come back and take another look.