My never-ending journey as a painter began in nursery school when the teacher gave me a “coloring page” on which I was supposed to color in the lines. I crushed it into a ball and demanded a plain piece of paper so I could create my own image. My tendency to defy the art rules continued as a preteen in painting classes where the teacher assigned a still life, but I created an abstract.
Those defining experiences resisting the expected set the tone for pretty much the rest of my journey in art, and my career in early childhood education, technology and marketing. Now, evolution is a part of every piece I make because my art is intuitive and expressionistic (for the most part.)
In high school I studied at Alabama School of Fine Arts. Then, following high school, I continued as a painting major in college. Despite still having a burning need to create, I lacked confidence in my work and became discouraged. I changed my major and earned a BA and M.Ed. in early childhood education and for the next 40ish years I have enjoyed a fulfilling career as an advocate, leader, subject matter expert, technologist, and consultant.
30 years barely managing a chronic degenerative heart condition, I received the gift of a heart transplant in 2013. Recovery was long, and my mindset changed. Over time as I healed, I found myself drawn back to painting.
Since 2016, I’ve been painting, collaging, and gel-printing, building a collection of hundreds of pieces. Most of my work is intuitive, bold, expressionistic, and most of all playful.