ABOUT ME
I live in New York City, with my husband, two teenagers, and cat, Jackson. My art education began in my hometown of Grand Forks, North Dakota, where I received my BFA in Visual Art/Painting from the University of North Dakota. I continued my studies in New York with an Associate Degree in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology and received the Bill Blass Award in design.
When I was little, I was always drawing. I remember these little sketch tests that you would find in all the periodicals, “If you can draw this, you can be an artist!” It was, after all, what I was really good at. I studied art and then fashion, which brought me to New York. I worked with oils most of my younger years, and recently, began painting with watercolors. Then a couple decades go by, life happens, a pandemic hits, and its all up for grabs. It’s funny how life can take you on a journey, yet sometimes you come full circle, back to where you started. For me, that’s my art.
Artist Statement
Painting is my way of showing the viewer how I see the world. I hope I am able to capture an emotion, or a feeling that comes through when you view my portraits. I prefer to keep the background blank, thus giving all the attention to the subject. The eyes are so important. They tell the story. Bringing the subject to life and engaging the viewer. This is what I try to achieve with each portrait.
There is an honesty to watercolors that I love. They are true and transparent and in that, hide nothing. I paint with a layering technique and dry brush, to create my portraits depth and detail. Though sheer, the colors can be rich and intense, yet soft and delicate at the same time. While it is of utmost importance to paint the likeness of my subject, my biggest challenge is to engage the viewer.
I hope this explains a little about my process and my artist vision, and I hope you enjoy my paintings as much as I love making them. I love animals and donate 5% of each portrait to my local animal shelter. It is my way of giving back. If you are interested in working together please get in touch.