Artist’s statement
I am an artist on Whidbey Island, where I am fortunate to find nonstop inspiration in the abundant nature of the Pacific Northwest. Starting from a very young age, drawing and painting have been an integral part of my life experience. My family was very supportive and encouraging. After graduation from high school in 1971, I pursued a formal education in art at School of Associated Arts and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Like most artists, living has come with the daily challenges of needing consistent income, and only recently have I been able to enjoy my retirement years as a full-time oil painter, showing and selling my pieces at the Museo Gallery in the seaside village of Langley, WA. As a hands-on artist, I enjoy all aspects of bringing a painting to life, right down to stretching my own canvas. Perhaps my favorite part of the process involves giving my playful inner child a role in the paintings. I find that, unlike a more “serious adult,” she is not afraid to explore with abandon, and I love the ways in which her whimsical solutions make their way onto the compositions. My current body of work takes its inspiration from the backdrop of iconic Double Bluff Beach, particularly from people who visit with their dogs.
Wayne Thiebaud’s paintings have influenced me, specifically the “Memory Mountains”. His work encourages fun (color) and finding the magic (halation).