I’m a true maker. When I see something - a piece of art or furniture or a beautiful interior space - I immediately start thinking about what went into creating it and how I could do something like it myself. I love transforming and improving things and am a natural problem solver. I like taking something horrible and turning it into something cool and unique. I think that’s why I like painting intuitively. There’s always a point in that process when the piece looks like hell and you’re on the verge of throwing it in the trash. That’s when I get really focused and determined on making “lemonade”. There’s a deep sense of pride and accomplishment I get from those pieces. Not only did I rescue them from the brink of disaster, but they are naturally unlike anything else. They’re not cookie cutter or predictable in any way, shape or form. There’s a second to none, raw creativity that goes into doing that kind of work. I use mixed media on a variety of different surfaces to create light-hearted, fun and very colorful creations, with a hint of childlike freedom. If my work doesn’t make people smile or feel good, then I’ve failed.

I’m not a technical artist. I don’t care about following the directions just because “that’s how it’s always been done”. I want the process to be as creative as the piece itself. I’m never going to paint something that looks like a photograph. I respect it, but it’s not in my wheelhouse. That doesn’t feel expressive to me; it feels constricting and boring. I’ve always said there’s a difference between a cook and a baker. Bakers follow precise recipes; cooks throw some stuff in a pot just to see how it’ll turn out. I’m so not a baker. I don’t like recipes or rules or strict processes.

I’m inspired by color and travel and nature. Color energizes me, so much so that I have to be really intentional about choosing a pallet for my pieces before I start. Otherwise, I have a tendency to get carried away and use them all, which is problematic. Travel is the most inspiring thing to me because of the novelty of it all. I want to learn everything there is to know about the food, the culture, the languages, the architecture, etc… It’s like adding another instrument to my repertoire. I immediately start seeing ways to combine the new with the old, to create something completely unique. Nature is awe-inspiring. It connects me to something bigger than myself. Nature IS creative. Everything about it reminds us of that if we’re willing to see it and feel it and tap into it. I don’t know how you couldn’t be inspired by that.

I’m not just your run of the mill creative. I’m the kind of creative that when there’s a lack of active creativity in my life, I become depleted and discouraged and emotionally challenged. I’ve long said that if you don’t feed a creative brain, it will start to chew on itself, and that is it in a nutshell for me… I create therefore I am happier! It took me the better part of 52 years to discover, accept and embrace that, but now that I have I’m committed to following the creative thread and living a creative life. This site is where I’ll be documenting that journey and offering my wares for sale.

If you have any questions, please fill out the form below and I’ll get back with you just as soon as I can.

Thanks for being here!