As a child, I had an idea to find flat rocks and glue them to a black painted piece of plywood. This was my first piece of art. 

When I discovered papier-mâché, I went wild making weird little shapes, painting them with naïve patterns and weird icons. For fun, I would mail cryptic drawings to random friends without a return address. To this day, some of them have no idea who sent those alien-like glyphs!

I grew up in a mid-century modern home on a lake which influenced my decision to study architecture. Little did I know that this would involve taking a zillion math courses. Seeing as that side of my brain does not work, I resolved the dilemma by loading up on drawing and painting classes. 

In the library, I found a series of books titled “Graphis” where I first learned the term “graphic design.” It seemed to me that graphic design was a perfect combination of art, illustration, 3D exhibits and signage, as well as architecture. Hence, I embarked on the wonderful experience of learning several art-related skills all at once.

I have been a full-time painter for 21 years. Through the ups and downs, the only thing that keeps me happy is planning the next painting. As a trained colorist, I spend most of my time thinking of new shapes and color combinations. I paint during the night with false light. With a nod to the fundamentals, I add new shapes and colors, all the while thinking, “hopefully this will all pull together.” There is a point when the painting sings to me that it’s time to finish.