About the Artist

I approach my artwork with a spirit of exploration and personal challenge. From vibrant transparent watercolor paintings and realistic landscapes in acrylic to my current exploration of plein air in gouache,  you will experience being transported to another place and invited to ‘see' the beauty in the ordinary.

I grew up in a small town in the San Joaquin Valley, where I learned to see the beauty in the daily elements of life: food, farmland, wildflowers and occasional sunsets on the Central Coast. I took a few drawing and oil painting courses at Bakersfield Community College and Fresno State before getting married and pouring my creative energy into home-making, mothering, ministry and hospitality. Adult life in Southern California, the Hill Country of Texas, and the Bay Area of California filled my mind with scenes and images I longed to paint. Private watercolor classes for our daughter's home-schooling reignited my own desire to learn and practice. There were spurts of online tutorials and classes sprinkled throughout those years.

When our youngest child reached the teen years, I challenged myself to work and develop my latent artistic interest. One of the first big steps toward that end was a life changing Art Retreat in France. I also spent time that year participating in a group class at the Morgan Hill, California Cultural & Senior Center. I later took a Color and Basic Drawing classes at Evergreen Community College in San Jose, California. During our 4 years on a temporary work assignment for my husband's career in Yokohama, Japan, I found an art teacher who provided quality instruction & an artist community where I found friendship and support. The beauty and art culture in Japan continues to influence my work by inspiring vibrant watercolor koi and Geisha pieces. While in Yokohama, I had one Solo Exhibition and one Duet Exhibition.

After returning to the USA in 2016, we settled in Oakhurst, CA where I joined the Yosemite Western Artists Group (now Yosemite Sierra Artists) and participated in a several juried exhibitions over the years, occasionally receiving awards for my submissions. In 2019 I participated in my first Sierra Art Trails and joined an artist collective of 8 other women we call our Art Inspiration Group. We meet about once a month to encourage, challenge and share our artist journey along with the normal challenges of life.  I am a member of the Sierra Artists Gallery in Mariposa and the YSA Gallery in Oakhurst.

I have entered local exhibitions at various galleries 3-4 times a year. Once a year I am one of the featured Artists in the YSA section of Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst. I am also an Associate Member of the California Art Club and a member of California Watercolor Association.