My first creative expression occurred when my mother left me in my uncle’s hands. He fell asleep and I finger painted all the porcelain in the bathroom. Since retiring as a teacher my focus is on art as my “new career.” It has prompted me to take oriental brush painting classes, mixed media workshops and studio work with Janet Bothne at Studio J in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Contemporary painting in acrylic and mixed media is my love along with collage.
My work has appeared in shows at galleries and venues in the Albuquerque area. In 2020 during On the Rise at Gallery With A Cause I was pleased to accept The Peoples’ Choice Award. The 2020 and 2022 Placitas Art Series - an art and music event - featured some of my paintings. In 2019 and again 2021 the television show BETTER CALL SAUL incorporated my paintings into the sets. My first solo art show, Momentum, was held at the Corrales Art Center. The show represents my journey along the mixed media trail with samples of my art books and fourteen paintings.
Artist Statement
Art is the creative journey which leads my exploration into painting and experimenting with color and materials. Explorations allow for my inner child to play with mark making, and layers of paint add history to my work. My love of Oriental brush painting has been an influence and fuels my practice of utilizing mixed media and the integration of collage elements. East meets West as I integrate these influences with my passion for abstract expressionism - joining the exacting, methodical style of one with the free, spontaneous flow of the other. Oriental influences are a natural pairing with my love of nature.
Recently I discovered my love for encaustic collage. Encaustic is the perfect vehicle for marrying paper with wax. It is the perfect medium to tell my stories about the relationships between people, creatures and things.
