the gift of discovery

To me, art has been the unexpected & life-changing discovery of finding my passion. It was a dream I neglected until I was 30 years old, a whisper in my life yearning to be heard. When I finally began to put paint onto paper, my heart and life exploded with a joy I hadn’t known before. Now, many moons later, the whimsical and playful nature of my paintings still come from the inside like a quiet yet heartfelt truth. Much like my own spirit, my work expresses honesty and tenderness while remaining lighthearted and colorful. My hope is that my work invokes a sense of vitality within you as you walk your own path in life, and that it inspires you discover your own limitlessness.

My story, my path

I grew up in rural North Florida where I jumped off docks into the Sante Fe Lake with my german shepherd dog every day after school. As a child, I lived for eating fried chicken every Sunday afternoon, fishing with an old tattered piece of bamboo, and playing checkers with my then 85 year old granddad. Amidst the winding dirt roads of my hometown, I experienced the joy and complexity of life and, like my mother and sister, turned to creative outlets as a way to express my experience of life.

Eventually, my family moved to Jacksonville, Florida where I attended middle and high school. Later, I attended college at Florida State University, deciding to major in something “practical”- social work. In 1999, I met my husband John and we set off to begin a life together in Portland, Oregon. It was there that I eventually decided to take up running which mysteriously led me to discover the confidence and passion to pursue a longtime “impractical” dream: to become an artist.

Since discovering my passion for painting in 2006, I wrote Taking Flight: Inspiration + Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings, a best selling book that encompasses all aspects of what it means to live the creative life. I’m also the author of Flying Lessons: Tips + Tricks to Help Your Creative Biz Soar -  a series of popular e-books where I share everything I’ve learned about starting, running, and growing a successful creative business. My work has been featured in a variety of mixed media books and I’ve had several articles published in various magazines, including Cloth Paper Scissors, Somerset Life, Somerset Studios (my artwork was on the 03/2010 cover!), Where Women Create, Memory Makers, and more. Much of my artwork is licensed and can be seen in stores nationwide on a variety of products, including decorative wall art, home decor products, stationery, and so much more.

In essence, I am an artist and all around lover of life and people who seeks to express a sense of vitality and connectedness in my paintings and writings. Having spent most of my life in the company of women, my pieces grow out of the kindred support I’ve felt from many of them throughout my life. I am unendingly grateful for the spirits of these women who walk with me, in flesh or in paint, on my incredible journey into art, love and life.

I currently live in Portland, OR with my outdoorsy husband John, our new baby boy named True, and our airplane-eared dog Bella. You can see + read more of my journey into the creative life here.

the quirks

* I have a gap between my two front teeth. I sort of love it.

* I met my husband, fell in love, and 12 weeks later we moved from FL to OR together. We were 23yrs old.

* I’ve owned exactly one piece of black clothing in my whole life.

* I have a masters degree in clinical social work and worked as a medical social worker in the ICU for many many years before becoming a full time artist.

* I love coke slurpees from the 7/11.

* My cowgirl boots make my stupidly happy.

* My art is a perfect marriage between my creative spirit and my social work sensibilities.

* I’ve worn glasses since I was eleven years old and I’m very, very far-sighted.

* I often laugh in my sleep.

* Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cereal sound like perfectly delicious meals to me.

* I drink black tea each and every morning with milk, not half and half, thank you very much.

* I’m an INFJ, gemini (on the cusp of cancer) and my inspiration spark is almost always running on positive.

* I’ve love talking about the things that really matter: our work in the world, how kindness changes everything, our spiritual paths, our connectedness.

* We named our baby boy True for true love, truth, true north, and all things true.