About Me
I am a small town girl living in a 140 yr old farmhouse — the same house that I lived in as a young child. My studio overlooks our fields and sometimes the cows peek in the window to see what I’m up to. I’m thankful that my quiet country life allows me the time and energy to create. People often ask me how long I’ve been an artist. I remember sitting on our porch during a house-painting session when I was really little. I was too young to be of any help so my Mom gave me a bucket of water and a paintbrush and I “painted” our cement steps. I’ve been officially painting since 2002 but I think I always knew I was an artist.
Art for me has opened up a whole new way to live. Every day I am amazed at the beauty of our world. Even the things most people consider ugly take on an understated elegance with the right form and light. Design has always intrigued me. I love the play of balance and imbalance, repetition and incongruity, dark and light, soft and textured…the yin and yang of life. Art has made me be a better person, a more “real” version of me. I couldn’t imagine my life without it.
I started off painting in watercolor. Then I added acrylics and now I’m mostly painting in water soluble oils. I still like to bounce back and forth between mediums. There are aspects of all three that I love. I also haven’t limited myself to one style, even though I’ve been told countless times how important this is. An artist should be known for their style? Hmm…well my style varies. I like to paint abstractly but I also enjoy the more traditional plein air landscape painting. For me it’s all about experimenting and enjoying the process. Each painting is a new experience.
Recent Exhibits/Awards
Juried into “Text Us”, Umpqua Valley Art Association
Juried into “Hundred Valleys”, Umpqua Valley Art Association
Award of Distinction, Watercolor Society of Oregon 46th Annual Transparent Watercolor Exhibition
Achievement Award, Watercolor Society of Oregon 46th Annual Aqueous Media Exibition
Plein Air Painters of Oregon Open Exhibition, “Celebrate Oregon”
Fourth Place Award, Watercolor Society of Oregon 45th Annual Aqueous Media Exhibition
Solo exhibit, Fisher’s Flowers and Fine Art
Grand Prize Winner, Mirror Pond Gallery National Pastel and Watercolor Exhibition
Chosen for 2009 Greatest of the Grape Featured Artist and Poster Art
Best of Show Award, “Hundred Valleys”, Umpqua Valley Art Association
Achievement Award, Watercolor Society of Oregon 43rd Annual Aqueous Media Exhibition
Solo exhibit, Gallery II, Umpqua Valley Art Association
Art Related Work
Gallery Director, 2011-present, Gallery 7 – Seven Feathers Casino Resort, Canyonville, Oregon
President of the Watercolor Society of Oregon, 2010-2011
Online instructor and owner of Create38.com, 2010-present
Gallery Committee Member, 2009-present, Umpqua Valley Art Association