In December of 2017 I left behind a 20-year career as a hair/nail artist here in Eau Claire, picked up my old brushes and changed my life forever. Being creative is an integral part of my life and I’ve taken classes in drawing, painting, fine arts and crafts starting in 4-H, continuing through high school and prior to getting my barber/cosmetology license I attended college briefly to focus on visual arts and theatre.
It was my dream to create art full time and my family tolerated multiple easels in/near our dining room, as I set goals resulting in 108 pieces of work from May 2018 to January 2019. 51 of those pieces were for an online challenge by Cinnamon Cooney, “The Art Sherpa” earning me the title “Art Eagle” and that collection was chosen 2nd runner up out of 131 artists worldwide in the juried portion of the challenge. I was on my way to that dream of being a successful artist.
In that time, I joined the Valley Art Association and had the opportunity to show at The Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa Fallson 3 separate occasions as well as Vino Cappuccino in Elk Mound. Participated in The Yellowstone Art Trail. I enjoyed a solo show at The Mabel Tainter in Menomonie and took part in the 20th Annual Mabel Tainter Fine Art and Craft Fair this November.
From commissions to small local shows I’ve learned so much in such a short time. You can find several of my pieces (large and small) for sale at Artisan Forge Studios and Gallery in Eau Claire. I’ve recently set up a small studio/gallery with space for classes in the building I share with my husband’s businesses in Elk Mound, meaning no extra easels cluttering up our home. (I still retain a small table for study.)
I’m inspired daily by nature (specifically water), our journeys through life and influenced by artists of the impressionist, baroque and romantic periods. I tend to use bold and exciting color choices with acrylic as my primary medium; I also enjoy mixing mediums including watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, neo pastels, ink, and collage. I hope my pieces touch and inspire you as they reflect my own spirituality, human emotion and the beauty of moments in life itself.
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