I was born and raised in Rockford, IL. After living and working in Chicago for 10 years, I decided to move back to my hometown, a decision I never regretted. After working at Rockford Art Museum for several years, I decided to take my passion for painting more seriously. I rented studio space in the old Atwood building where I was able to dedicate more time to painting. After that I moved to Mainfraim studios where I was able to work with inspiring, talented people every day who pushed and encouraged me to keep on painting. I now paint out of my home studio where I live with my partner Rick and our two dogs, Petunia and Cowboy.

 

Painting has always provided me solace. I paint when I’m happy or when I’m sad. I paint when I’m hopeful and on the other hand, paint when I feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. I have found that I cannot just paint to paint. Each line has intention behind it and I have a particular thought in my head every time the brush hits the surface. I have made several paintings in the past that don’t have thought behind them and they get tossed. I guess you could say I’m an emotional artist. For the last several years, my work focused on loss however, this new body of work exudes hope. New lines of color are now at the forefront of my work with strong lines and imagery driving the work. I always look forward to seeing my work change as I navigate through life’s ups and downs.