Who am I?

I’m still trying to figure that out haha! I achieved a degree in art a number of years ago but I am forever a student. My continued journey in life shows in the visual evolution of my art. When I first began painting it was in an extremely detailed realistic style. Literally painting duplicates of photographs of landscapes and wildlife. I was in love with the mountains. I still am and still trying to find my cabin in the woods!

I never liked history in high school but it’s funny how you start to appreciate it more when you get older. This is when old architecture began to fascinate me. The walls started talking and I wanted to tell their story or at least preserve what’s left of them. Exploring rusty old rail cars and abandoned buildings became a regular weekend adventure. Painting every little nuance of what time did to these remnants of history was so rewarding. The detail in my technique gave me such an intimate connection with each artifact I painted.

In a time of self healing I began exploring the final frontier. Space! Yes I was a Trekkie. Exploring beyond earth and our solar system is basically the great unknown. Black holes, nebulas, the pillars of creation seen through the lens of the Hubbard space telescope are surreal, abstract, fascinating. I was inspired to paint something that was so different from out of my norm, from out of this world and it was freeing. To control the stars through my paint brush! Traveling through the imaginary universe where time isn’t linear, no gravity to hold me down, realism doesn’t exist, nothing is tangible. This is when my world of painting really changed.

The freedom from expectations with an intention of exploring has really opened my conduit to inspiration. My inspirations come in fleeting moments. Sometimes it’s a tiny spark that draws me to give it fuel. Other times it’s a gust of wind blowing my hair in my face. I grab a hold of those wings and hold on tight. I feel that if I don’t act on that inspiration I’m essentially letting it go and according to Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic” it will fly away to another creator and lost to me forever. Today I am a fearless painter! I’m not afraid to try new mediums, new techniques and new inspirations. This new approach to creating art has given me boundless joy and viewers can’t help but smile. Yay! My joy gave them joy.