About Me

I grew up in a household of artistic types – writers, poets, artists, musicians – and was influenced not only by them but also their colorful social circle. There were always creative gatherings at our house. My family encouraged me that any dream is attainable, and were very supportive (even when I aspired to become a movie actress), however they also made sure I understood the practical side… that having a 9-5 job and health insurance (or a rich husband!) are essential while your dreams are under construction.

I don’t subscribe to the “starving artist” philosophy, especially when I have a family to consider. Although I’ve been painting my whole life, and have been selling my work steadily for the last few years, it wasn’t until the arrival of our 3rd child that I began looking at my hobby as a possible career.
With two young daughters already at home, and daycare costs sky-rocketing, I decided in 2009 to relinquish my humble position as a grocery manager in order to stay home full-time with my family and devote more time to my art business.

Although largely self-taught, I’ve taken a few art classes and have held a variety of creative jobs… from building craft displays in an art supply shop, to decorating wedding cakes in a bakery.

I find inspiration primarily through written words. The childhood bedtime stories my grandmother read to me… and the novels of Jane Austen that I devoured as a teen… tales of magical, talking animals and elegant, 19th century society have captivated my imagination… and the lines are often blurred.

I also enjoy reading works of fantasy by Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Anne McCaffery, Tad Williams, and David Eddings. Eddings’ “Belgariad” series and Tad Williams’ cat fantasy “Tailchaser’s Song” are treasured favorites.
My young mind was also impressed by the genius workings of Don Bluth, Jim Henson, Steven Spielburg, and the great Hollywood fantasy film-makers; our Beta video recorder fed a steady stream of classics: ”The Neverending Story”, “The Last Unicorn”, “The Secret of NIMH”, “Star Wars”, and “The Dark Crystal”…

Aside from painting and working in Photoshop, I’ve dabbled in writing novels and plays, composing piano music, and acting in community theatre productions.

I prefer to paint with acrylics, although I’ve also worked in watercolors, oil pastels, colored pencils, and any other crafting supplies that caught my attention. 

Having children who also enjoy painting has been an interesting challenge. Despite the countless art kits I’ve purchased for them, my kids insist on sneaking Mommy’s paints and brushes into their room, where they often get spilled onto the rented carpet, dry out, or the brushes are mutilated.
In a last ditch effort, I made the transition to “mess free” digital painting, where I can easily save my work. It took some time to adjust to ‘painting’ with a mouse, until my husband purchased a Wacom Tablet for my 29th birthday, which has helped tremendously.

To learn more about me, I encourage you to follow my blog posts and friend me on Facebook!