When I first began drawing I started using only the stub of a number 2 pencil to do all of my sketches. I began art classes in high school where I was introduced to various art forms and mediums. However, I was never really comfortable with color. It took me several years to venture into using colored pencils. I later learned to work with watercolor and then acrylic paint. I am mostly self-taught. Yet, a few years ago I decided to take some classes at the Arts Center to improve my skills and found the lessons proved to be very effective in changing my techniques and helped me create better finished products.

I love to do portraits of people and animals. The “eyes” have it for me. I concentrate on achieving the depth within them so viewers will be drawn in by them. I am also captivated by doing the hair.

At the present time, I am transitioning back to watercolor from acrylic and hope to create new visions using that medium. I plan to produce more landscape works with watercolor. However, I still hold true to my love of painting animals and will continue to follow that path as well. But, I am looking forward to the ease of painting with watercolor.

Not only do I enjoy looking at a painting, but I am very sensual and love to be able to touch it. So, a lot of my work has texture so I can run my hands over it. I found this worked particularly well with a painting of a lion whose mane was all texture and a waterfall where the ripples and splashes were there for me to trace the flow of the water to the rocks.

Future works include a plan for a 4 panel work to be done in acrylic that will flow from one to the next using the texture to create an image of a nova in outer space. I am interested in creating more abstract works.

As I also have written poetry, I have the plan to match my photos with previous poems that I have composed. Photography is my other passion. I usually take the photo and then paint from that so I have the exclusive ownership of the total project.

It is my sincere hope and desire to continue to grow in my profession as an artist. Having spent most of my life in the business world, I now have the time to learn and explore the world of art. While I am very new to the local art world, I plan to be involved in as many ways as I can so I can learn more and network with artists and art venues to get my work displayed. I am in the process of creating a body of work to show since most of my work has been commissioned and is pre-sold.