My journey as an artist has been surprising, challenging, fun and rewarding. It started as a whim in 2001 and became a somewhat late in life career choice after spending 10 years working in sales in art galleries in Jackson, Wy, Scottsdale AZ and Carmel, CA. After learning to enjoy plein air painting in my spare time, I was encouraged by my one of my mentors and close friend, the late western artist/potter Bill Freeman, to pursue a career as an artist. I learned what it’s like to work hard, observe life, and take criticism. I have put in alot of what I call “brushstroke mileage” to get to the style of animal painting I have today. The “alla prima” painting style of wet on wet best exemplifies my work. I work quickly to achieve a spontaneous, expressive and sculptured stroke. I am interested in broken color and abstract shapes. I am also very interested in looking for the play of rhythm and light in my paintings. I have a built a career around paintings of the faces of white hereford cows and all the wonderful color and reflected light that dances about. As a classically trained musician, (an earlier chapter in my life) rhythm is a big deal to me! I love to draw and and want good draftsmanship to show in my work. These elements add up to a uniqueness in my art that I feel has put my own personal stamp on my work and has given me the success and awards I have had. I have been fortunate in my career having studied and painted alongside some incredible people such as Greg McHuron, John Moyers, Mark Daniel Nelson, Glenn Dean, Carol Swinney, Steven Datz, Kathy Wipfler, Matt Smith and of course Bill Freeman. In my career I have been blessed to participate to some major museum shows, such as Cowgirl Up!, Desert Caballeros Museum, Wickenburg, AZ, Western Visions, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY, John Clymer Museum, Ellensburg, WA, (where they hosted me in two person show, 2009) ,Art of the Animal Kingdom, Bennington, VT, SEWE (Southeastern Wildlife Exposition) Charleston, SC , Mountain Oyster Club, Tucson, AZ, (I won the Purchase Award in 2006), Western Masters, Great Falls, MT, Cattlemen’s Western Art Show, Paso Robles, CA, Bosque Western Art Classic, Clifton, TX (where I won the Boren- Selvidge Award in 2018), many juried appearances with American Women Artists (I was presented with an Award of Excellence in 2017) , Western Spirit Museum Group show, Scottsdale, AZ and for 15 years have appeared in American Miniatures, Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, AZ. I have also had my work appear and be featured in such publications as Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Western Art Collector and Cowboys and Indians, Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, JAVMA (Journal of Veterinarian Medical Assn), North Dakota Stockman, Jackson Hole News and Guide and Planet Jackson Hole.
I am a associate member of the Women Artists of the West (waow.org) group and a Founding Member of the newly formed Cowgirl Artists of America. I have been busy showing my work in many galleries over the years and enjoy being a gallery artist, which at the present includes representation at Wilde Meyer in Scottsdale, AZ and Tucson, AZ, La Posada Resort in Santa Fe, NM and The Artful Deposit in Bordentown City, NJ. I currently live and paint in Oro Valley, Az. Tomorrow
Statement
Color, energy and light are the driving forces behind my art. I also want my surface quality to be sculpted with a sense of abstraction. I focus on animals’ faces but my job is to bring out their dignity, purpose and beauty mixed with just a bit of playfulness, love and light!