About

I am a mixed media artist.  It took me a long time to be able to say those words.  I had to gain the confidence to believe that my art was advanced enough and that I was trained enough to "own" that title.  It was silly.  I firmly believe that if you are a creator of original works then you are indeed an artist.  An artist's journey never ends, and we are all on the continuum at different places.  For me, being a mixed media artist allows for my curiosity and passion to cross artistic boundaries and to take many forms. I create predominately in acrylic but also include other supplies such as ink, graphite, collage materials, and pastel.   My art is influenced by the textures, colors and patterns I encounter as I live my life. They accumulate in my mind's eye and reappear in my work.  I create intuitively, letting my work emerge naturally and freely. Much like life, my art evolves in layers, each tier building on what has been placed beneath it.

 

I did not begin my artistic journey until I was well into my 50’s.  I was in the middle of my life, leaving the corporate world, and searching for things that would light me up.  I longed to feel inspired.  Even though I had always been interested in art, there was a single moment in time - when visual fine arts really started to take hold of me.  I remember exactly how I felt and where I was.  I was exploring the downtown area of Paso Robles, California.  I decided to visit a few art galleries. In one, an artist was working on an encaustic mixed media piece.  I was not familiar with wax, as a medium, and was fascinated.  She invited me to come sit beside her and watch her work for a while.  That afternoon changed everything for me!  I was so inspired by her passion and creativity that I could hardly contain myself.  She was so generous in spirit and with her time that afternoon.  The experience opened my eyes to art in a way I had never known before.  Until then, I had never really understood that art could act as a bridge, joining people, bringing ideas and cultures together, in the best way–a way that only our souls can truly understand.