Biography

As a watercolor artist and an art teacher for Spotsylvania County Schools in Fredericksburg, Virginia, I tell my students one of the reasons I started in art is because people could not tell me what to do. My middle school students can certainly relate. I think we all have a bit of rebellion in us, the desire to be ourselves and not have people tell us what to think and how to think it. Maybe we all have different reasons for starting on the creative roller coaster, but somewhere along the journey we realize this is who we are, and this is what we were meant to do.

I came to this realization in 1995 when I began my hobby as a watercolor painter, and the need to keep doing it continued. I began working for “Olde Towne Art Gallery” in Fredericksburg, Virginia and continued as an instructor there until 1998. I had caught the creative flu and needed to make this what I did for a living, so while teaching elementary school and giving private art lessons I attended University of Mary Washington part time. I received my Bachelor’s of Liberal Studies with a major in art in 2000.

With my artistic light bulb turned on I learned there were others who thought outside the box. This was not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it was considered a positive character trait, (who would have thought)? I continued to expand my artistic horizons to expand my watercolor base into mixed media, colored pencil, and acrylic. Today the body of my work is either in watercolor or mixed media, but the possibilities are endless for me. I have discovered the more freedom I have to explore my materials, the more fun I have, and the success of my work has progressed.

I often think of what it was like when my first Junior High School art teacher told me I "had talent." I remember what that feeling was like and try to make those who are willing to let go of their preconceived ideas of what art is, feel the way my teacher made me feel. I encourage everyone of every age to try some form of creativity, and discover something unique. One of my goals, and one reason the Lord has put me on this planet, is to help those who do not feel as if they have a place, and therefore have no purpose. Is it for that reason I teach. I seek with God’s help the creativity in every person to express what the Father has given them, and to be proud of it.