About the Artist
I currently work full-time as a professional geologist in California. My journey into painting, and specifically pastels, has only just begun.
Growing up, I had a need to make sure everything stayed in straight sharp lines! I honored “Don’t color outside the lines!” I loved photography, and had my own dark room in the bathroom and garage for black and white printing. When it came to drawing, I would get frustrated if I could not draw something as realistic as a photo.
I studied geology in college which, in addition to my love of sports, such as softball, golf, and soccer, allowed me to be regularly outside. My love of everything outdoors is why I love landscape paintings. As a geologist, I would regularly create geologic maps that would include all the colors in the rainbow. But again, very important to stay within the lines!
A few years back something changed in my psyche. I was driving through Wisconsin and Minnesota during the summer. Having essentially grown up in southern California, where the summers are hot and dry, hazy skies, and brown vegetation everywhere, I was amazed at the blue skies and green fields I was seeing. I needed some way of expressing my awe at the scene. A photograph just did not show the color or the grandeur of it all! When I returned home, I purchased a book on how to paint. I started with acrylic painting, moved to oils, and I now enjoy painting with pastels. With Covid eliminating in-person classes, I began looking to YouTube videos for instruction. Alain Picard’s videos became a favorite, which led me to some of his online classes. As covid eased, I was fortunate to attend some of his in-person workshops. I am now hooked and love to paint with pastels, even though I sometimes still struggle with being bold enough to go outside the lines.
As my interest in pastels grew, so did my desire to join with other artists in a pastel society. I joined the Tucson Pastel Society when I attended Alain Picard’s workshop in December 2021. Earlier this year I joined the Pastel Society of Southern California and attended two of Liz Hayward Sullivan’s workshops. I look forward expanding my skills while learning and painting with the wonderful members of these societies.
Someone once said, “The future is what you make it”. My goal is to bring a smile and/or provide a sense of peace for people viewing my paintings. Maybe the viewer will feel that same “awe” that I felt in that Wisconsin landscape years ago.