TheArtist
Youth
I was inspired to paint from an early age. My Grandmother was a gifted artist. In fact, she was one of the first artists working at Hallmark Cards, and she taught me painting techniques in her studio many times. I always had a drawing pad and crayons or colored pencils available. In High School and College I took art classes to be challenged and polish technique.
I have saved my first painting: “Cheetah". I painted this in middle school Art class. The medium is oil on canvas board. I worked from a photograph that I found interesting and challenging. I wanted it to look realistic while still painterly.
Post-College
Transitioning into an empty nest with all four children grown, I have been able to enhance my skills by taking University courses and receive training from mentors like Marcy Meyers, Connie Mowe and Andrew Schell. My mentors and teachers have substantially opened my mind to styles, meaning, ideas and creativity. While many Art History classes taught me alot, I have also continued to learn about 20th Century and current artists.
Professional
After graduating from University of Missouri with a BS in Interior Design, I took my art training into commercial interior design. I became an expert in space-planning with panel system furniture. For the next twenty years I would go back and forth between raising four children (Beth, Charlie, Travis and Tyler) and managing a career as Senior Designer in commercial furniture dealerships. I spent much of my time enjoying the outdoors gardening and traveling, and was inspired to paint wildlife and landscape art as seen here in my painting titled "Sunset Palms".
I currently paint at Horseshoe Trail Studio, www.horseshoetrail.com. See my work there with the other artists' work. I exhibit frequently at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center in various shows, including the Historic Fort Worth Art Show and Sale
Besides painting, my other passions are gardening, pets and animals, music, travel, photography, interior design, volunteer work, and family.
Noted artists with whom I have studied:
-
Professor Andrew Schell - Johnson County Community College
-
Misha Kligman - Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art
-
Marcy Meyers - Process Paint/Integration Therapy
-
Connie Mowe - Oil Painting teacher with JCCC
-
James Spurlock - Artist in DFW area
Many of my paintings can be found at the website for Horseshoe Trail Studio, and this webpage, including three of my favorite paintings described below.
“Cassita”: I enjoy being in the Davis Mountains in western Texas. This shows part of the hotel Indian Lodge in the National Park near the fabulous McDonald Observatory.
“The Kauffman Center": A colorful take on Kansas City's most interesting building.
“An American Icon": I photographed one of my dolls in my collection and manipulated it to this Pop-Art style.