I have great memories from my youth taking back country drives through Southern California with my architect father looking for the perfect old barn, Victorian house or Spanish Mission to stop for a quick watercolor sketch. This was the beginning of my long journey of practicing to improve. Later in life I relocated to Northern Nevada with my husband and three young children. With the Sierra Mountains to the West and high desert to the East, wildlife, wild horses, and ranching are inspirations for my work.Through the years I have entered juried shows and have been successful winning many first place through honorable mention awards at state and local competitions.When I’m not painting I enjoy spending time with family, canoeing with my husband, going on walks with our rescue greyhound and riding my horse.
Statement
My motivation to paint comes from observing the scenery of everyday life and noticing the beauty created just by the way the light of the sun illuminates the shapes and surfaces of nature. My subjects are primarily western and wildlife and are a reflection of the colors and subjects that move me. I paint in both watercolor and oil mediums as I enjoy the challenges of their opposite nature. I love the richness of oil colors and how makes me work patiently with purpose. On the other hand, watercolor allows me to be spontaneous and loose with either surprisingly beautiful or disappointing results but fun nonetheless. My favorite part of the painting process is the last few marks of color that really pull a piece together and add a final pop. I think of myself as a contemporary western artist and work toward realism with a painterly style.