Artist Statement
Strong sunlight and cast shadows are often the inspiration for my artwork.  My paintings are a response to the pattern, shape, texture and line observed in the world around me.  In composing my subject I zoom in for a close-up view.  And whether rendering trains, chairs or flowers I leave out as much or more of the subject as I paint.  The viewer is invited to enjoy the artwork and fill in the missing pieces.

Brief History
I am an artist more by happenstance than by training. At my father’s urging I attended Lafayette College, in the first co-ed class, and then the University of Virginia where I received a Masters degree in Special Education. Fifteen years later, after teaching in public and private institutions and after the birth of my third child, I took a watercolor class with Kay Flory.  Kay was challenging yet kind and she introduced me to an art world full of possibilities.  Since then I have taken many workshops, traveled with fellow artists, read lots of books and magazine articles and spent countless hours in the studio.  Artists I have studied with include: Carole Barnes, Carrie Brown, Judy Betts, Miles Batt, Mary Todd Beam, Mary Ann Beckwith, Gerald Brommer, Pat Dews, Jean Grastorf, Karlyn Holman, George James, Jan Ledbetter, Carla O’Connor, Morris Shubin, John Salminen, Janet Walsh and Donna Zagotta.

The evolution of my painting style and subject matter has been shaped by life events and contact with several individuals.  For me, making art is truly a process, an exciting, challenging journey that has filled my life with friendships and peace.

Recent Solo Shows

• Academy of Fine Arts, Lynchburg Virginia January 2013
• This Century Art Gallery, Williamsburg Virginia May 2013
• Signature 9 Gallery, Roanoke Virginia October 2013

Collections and Publications

• My artwork is included in the collection of Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Augusta Medical Center and numerous private collections.
• 15 Best Watermedia Paintings of 2008, Watercolor Artist Magazine February 2009
• Getting Down the Essentials, Watercolor Magazine Winter 2007
• Best of Watercolor: Painting Light and Shadow, Rockport Publishers
• Painting History in a Lavish New Light, City Magazine March 2007
  
• “Yesterday’s News” graces the cover of Remembrances, a published collection of newspaper columns from Rockingham County, Virginia

Recent Awards

• Fourth Place President’s Award, Virginia Watercolor Society, Hampton, Virginia, 2012
• Allen Ingalls Palmer Watercolor Award, Taubman Museum Art Show, Roanoke, Virginia, 2012