Artist Statement

I earned my bachelor's degree in Biology at Westminster College in 1993 and work as a molecular and cell biologist at a Salt Lake City biotech company. I took art classes in college and enjoyed them immensely, but only began seriously pursuing my passion for art about four years ago, when I realized my need for a creative expression of my love of the natural world. I have since studied and practiced intensively to pursue my art career. My teacher, local artist Willamarie Huelskamp has been tremendously inspirational and helpful in my artistic growth.

My art is expressionistic, I paint what I love with an adventurous and spontaneous approach, celebrating the individuality of the artistic spirit. My subjects are inspired by my love of nature and the Utah landscape, local subjects, and the beauty of simple things, as well as my travels.

I am also influenced by my love of the paint itself, choosing watercolor for its transparency and vibrancy, and the spontaneous quality of the medium. I am often surprised and delighted by what happens on my painting in front of me. Watercolor also supports my love of color, which is the strongest element in my art. Bright, strong color best expresses the emotion I feel for my subjects. I paint on paper or clayboard, mixing in crayon, pastel, and acrylics in my more abstract pieces.

I am fascinated by the effect of the visual sense on the human experience, and wish to communicate my celebration of the gift of vision with my viewer. Part of the significance of art is the individual experience of the visual. I delight in communicating with my viewer my visual experience, which may be completely different from theirs.

I have a studio in my home in the small community of Pine Meadows at 8,000 feet in the mountains above Park City, Utah, where I live with my husband, Mike and our four dogs and two cats. In addition to my job, I practice and teach yoga, and I love to trail run, mountain bike, and ski, and squeeze in as much creative time as possible.