about mE

Art is in my DNA. Some of my earliest art memories are of sitting around the kitchen table with my sisters, drawing and telling stories. Our mother, an artist and elementary school art teacher, encouraged our art explorations with paint, paper mâché, handmade puppets and more. No project was too messy to attempt.

After a career teaching Special Education and raising my two sons full time, I decided to pursue a more formal study of art. I began with art classes at Portland Community College and eventually completed a post-baccalaureate in Painting and Drawing at the former Oregon College of Art and Craft. Since then, I have been creating and exhibiting my mixed media art in the Portland area. My work has travelled to South Korea for an international art exhibition and is also on display with the City of Hillsboro’s permanent art collection. For over a decade, I was a studio member at the artist-run Sequoia Gallery + Studios, where I exhibited my work and helped run the gallery. I recently joined Painter’s Showcase, a talented group of artists in the Portland area. I am pleased to be participating in their 2023 50th Anniversary Art Show & Sale. Visit my Event page for details.

My sources of inspiration include my travels and my love of world history, cultures and design. I work intuitively, building up and removing layers of paint, paper, metals and plaster until I am satisfied with the results. I create my own stencils, paper patterns, photo transfers, and metallic or paper clay embellishments to apply to the surface of my paintings. My  paintings are then sealed and polished with several layers of cold wax medium to protect them and bring out the details in the work. My intent is to create a sense of beauty, mystery and transcendence.