Bio
I grew up in a Midwest family of talented creatives, and am the first woman in my lineage to graduate from college.
I love thunderstorms, the mysterious, and wry humor.
I have been painting since 1997. And showing in Portland and beyond since relocating in 1999. I love to paint wildlife, love letters, women and other beautiful, powerful, wild things.
My earliest influences are the family of painters and makers I grew up with, and American contemporary artists Richard Diebenkorn, Jim Dine, and Kiki Smith. Additionally formative were musician Tori Amos and writer Anais Nin.
When I am not painting, I’m reading, dancing, writing, staring at the treetops, or wandering around looking for mischief and drinking up inspiration.
Artist Statement
In my paintings I love to play with symbolism, strong tensions in color and composition, and ways I can weave my writing into my art.
When I paint, I experience the wonder of being lost in a quiet afternoon sunbeam, sifting through a rediscovered collection of beloved trinkets. I want to convey an appreciation for the precious and profound, the same way these objects hold presence in our hearts. This is especially expressed in the joy I find in the small finishing details at the end of my paintings.
My work has been described as whimsical and romantic. I also explore themes of power and mystery through imagery of women and the natural world. In essence, all of my work is alchemy, spinning my life from the shadow to the light into images of passion, love, and beauty.
