BIO

 

Living in Taylor Texas with my husband and two boys, I work in watercolor and oil paint, using handmade pigments many of which are mined from the earth's minerals.

My childhood days were spent playing amongst the leaves in the nursery owned by my parents and running barefooted and wild on my grandfather's property. Nature and particularly plants have played an important role helping me to cope with anxiety. Now as a mother, thinking about my children, I value its role even more. When encountering nature, so many feelings are elicited. There is the excitement of spotting a rare bird, the wonder of a spiders web, an overwhelming sense of peace when standing at the waters edge, and even fear when met face to face with a coyote. Nowhere than in nature are the senses so stimulated.

In a culture that defines success with productivity, achievement, and extra zeros on a paycheck, Brooke Mcalary writes, "we have forgotten what it is to have less. Less stuff. Less stress. Less expectation. Less to do. Less to be. Less to prove. We are hyper-connected and utterly disconnected at the same time. We engage with strangers on social media, but we don’t say hello to our neighbours." In my life and work, I desire to find calm by connecting with the present moment, and painting makes that a reality.