When I was young, I loved to play in dirt and create. I was also entrepreneurial. At age 9, I created my first series of drawings and went door-to-door selling my work for 50 cents per drawing. I distinctly remember feeling early on that the world was a blank canvas, full of endless possibilities. I still feel this way.
After a lifetime of experiences that reflect other aspects of my creativity—raising a family, breeding Shetland ponies, running a national nonprofit, and starting a school—I have come full circle, back to playing in dirt and creating. Painting has become my primary form of expression, initially focusing on flowers or other reflections of nature, and has since evolved into more abstract works that delve into the spiritual realm.
My journey in the arts began long before college. I had the opportunity to study painting and printmaking in Florence, Italy, at Lakefield College of Art, and in Nova Scotia at Halifax University of Art. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from George Washington University, I pursued my artistic endeavors in London while also working as a marketing executive. Eventually, I returned to the US to earn a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.
For many years while I was raising my children, I bred UK Shetland ponies for children with special needs and was the Executive Director of a National non-profit, Personal Ponies Ltd. I also created a non-traditional school for grades K-12 so my children had a more expansive and creative environment to learn in. Once the kids were launched, my husband and I left Maryland and headed to California with five horses, three dogs and one cat so I could spend more time in nature and pursue my art. I now reside in San Diego, California where me, my husband, and one dog live a few blocks from the beach.
I consider myself an integrated artist, an alchemist, and, at heart, a mystic. I specialize in acrylic and oil paintings utilizing my own glazing techniques with a bold use of colors that evoke a sense of timeless movement and expand our sense of possibilities. I often find inspiration by spending time in nature, where I absorb the intricacies and interconnectedness of the natural world, bringing these elements to life on my canvas on a deep, spiritual level.
In many ways, painting has become my own form of gardening.
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