12 Years of Art
December 10th, 2023 is my 12th Art Business Anniversary!
What an amazing year to celebrate all the hard work of these past years and how they culminated beautifully into a successful year of shows. I got the pleasure of sharing the story about my art journey with several people at the Metamorphosis solo show and the Camelback Studio Tour.
If you’d like to hear a bit of the backstory, read on…
I have been an artist as long as I can remember. My mom took a photo of me at age 3 with my drawing of a duck on a chalkboard and from that point on, there was always a crayon, pencil, or piece of chalk in my hand so I could draw anywhere and everywhere.
All throughout my school years, all I wanted to be was an artist. I got a scholarship to the Rocky Mountain School of Art and Design and after graduation moved to Denver, CO to attend. It was an amazing experience being around like-minded and so many talented students all pursuing their dreams of art.
Life took many twists and turns and I was not able to complete my education at art school. I moved home to AZ and took as many art classes as I could at the local community colleges and ASU. Even while working full time jobs and trying to make ends meet, art was my continual focus and my driving passion.
Eventually I started taking classes from art professionals at the Scottsdale Artists School. It was there I discovered my love of watercolor. In 2011, I decided to dedicate an entire year to learning the discipline of watercolor and did not allow myself to work in any other medium. This became a significant decision and grew into a 10 year non-stop pursuit of creating watercolor paintings and making art a more important part of my career by selling at different shows, fairs, festivals and galleries.
Metamorphosis Show at Walter Art Gallery
In 2021 my artistic journey took a new turn as I ventured into the realm of abstract watercolor. For an entire month, I challenged myself to create one abstract piece every day. This experience allowed me to dive deeply into my creativity, tap into my intuition, breaking free from the restrictions of realistic representation. Some paintings were created very quickly, while others involved more extended sessions.
During this time, I explored emotion and feeling in my artwork and found that I was expressing visually what was going on in my life. As 2021 transitioned into 2022, I faced an incredibly challenging year on a personal level. External pressures enveloped me, and I found release solely in the sanctuary of my studio. It was there that I began to explore oil paint mixed with cold wax on wood panels, utilizing an array of new tools. These techniques enabled me to create captivating textures, patterns, and expressive mark making.
The resulting works became some of the most cathartic and emotionally charged pieces I have ever produced. Over the past two years, I have created over 40 paintings that document my journey as both an artist and a human. Each painting reflects a step in my evolution.
I was so thrilled to share this body of work at my solo show, Metamorphosis, at the Walter Art Gallery in Scottsdale. Clearly these paintings resonated with people as I got to enjoy a nearly sold out show. I am so honored and humbled by this incredible year. Thank you for being a part of my art career and journey. Your support means so much to me!