I was exposed to art at a young age. My father was an artist, and as far back as I can remember, painting has always been a part of me. Throughout my life, he inspired and encouraged me to draw and paint. As a result, painting became my main vehicle for expressing myself. I started out with oils and continue to use them to this day.

In college, I received my Bachelor’s degree in English and minors in Theology and Art from Lee University. Afterwards, I went on to do an Art Apprenticeship program at the Urban Art Institute, Graduate school at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and then back to college for Massage Therapy at Miller-Motte Technical College. I retired from my sports massage practice after 16 years. Now, I spend my days creating new paintings in my art studio.

The many aspects of art have always captivated me, but my ultimate passion is painting. All of my artwork is original and handmade. I often stretch my own canvas, and I build all of my frames for my paintings. I mainly work with oil, but sometimes incorporate mixed media into my art. I like using both figurative and abstract techniques depending on the mood or tone I am trying to create. I enjoy the whole process of creating a painting from building a frame to the smell of the oil. I like the messiness of it all along with the precision of creating just the right color or the perfect texture to bring everything together.

I consider my artwork a marriage of linear and organic, embracing calm and chaos. My focus is concentrated on shape, color, and texture. My current style of painting is impressionism, but I often veer off to more of an expressionist style that displays and/or evokes emotion.  All of my current works are inspired by real places infused with dreams and imaginings. To see a place in person is only one way of looking at it; in my paintings, I want people to see what they can't in a live view.

Having lived on the 45th parallel on the shores of Lake Michigan and the 35th parallel here in Chattanooga, my current work is inspired by the natural beauty and horizons of both. Many of my paintings are inspired by particular places, yet feel familiar to any audience. The vibrant colors and deeply textured oils evoke a sense of new growth and rebirth. After a recent battle with breast cancer, my personal sense of renewal is an undercurrent in my newest work where solid ground meets vast sky, undulating water, and sprays of fresh blooms.