As a child, my right brain was definitely training to become an artist. What form of art hadn't been picked yet, but I was exercising everything. I played the piano, the guitar and the violin. For most of my first eighteen years, I took tap dance, modern jazz dance and ballet lessons. I went to the University of Utah, off and on, for six years. I studied literature, English, anthropology, philosophy, graphic design and architecture. I never graduated. I just couldn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I married, had two children and entered the gardening phase of my life. I would build roads out of rocks and landscape them with wonderful, exotic plants and flowers. I truly love painting with plants. I'm still into this form of art!
When my children went to grade school, I signed up for a co-op program. The parents would literally teach everything except math & English (they just helped out with those subjects). I taught music for a few years, and then got into the art curriculum. I was soon lost in the amazing world of artists and paint. The more I taught, the more I learned. I separated from my husband in 1996. Tattoos the year I really started painting seriously. My art helped and healed me. The marriage door closed, but that art door opened up.
In 1996, I joined the Utah Watercolor Society and started my life as an "artist". I served as president of that organization. I've studied under Harold Petersen, Dale Latenin, Martha Mans, Alex Powers, Spike Ress, Gerald Brommer, Skip Lawrence, Carol Orr, Frank Webb, Arne Westerman, Betsy Dillard Stroud, George Allen, Lester Lee, Osral Allred, Carl Purcell, Bonnie Posselli and Jossy Lownes. Each teacher has left a piece of themselves with me. What an artistic stew I've become.
I've be doing watercolors since 1995. I understand the medium and do some of my best work with water. In 2000, I started working with oil paint. (Oil & water really don't mix.) Since then, I've been branching out and trying lots of different media. My present favorite is collage; using watercolor on rice paper, tearing and cutting my designs and landscapes, then pasting them down. It's freed my creativity and imagination.
My latest endeavor is called "I Love Lizards". They're lizards, frogs & spiders that are magnetic pins. I drill, glue & hand paint each and every one with love. I can't seem to paint them fast enough! Who knew? I have a studio in the Rockwood building, but I paint at home on my kitchen counter most of the time. I'm still exercising my right brain with music, dance, gardening and art. I just haven't completely decided what I want to be when I grow up.
When my children went to grade school, I signed up for a co-op program. The parents would literally teach everything except math & English (they just helped out with those subjects). I taught music for a few years, and then got into the art curriculum. I was soon lost in the amazing world of artists and paint. The more I taught, the more I learned. I separated from my husband in 1996. Tattoos the year I really started painting seriously. My art helped and healed me. The marriage door closed, but that art door opened up.
In 1996, I joined the Utah Watercolor Society and started my life as an "artist". I served as president of that organization. I've studied under Harold Petersen, Dale Latenin, Martha Mans, Alex Powers, Spike Ress, Gerald Brommer, Skip Lawrence, Carol Orr, Frank Webb, Arne Westerman, Betsy Dillard Stroud, George Allen, Lester Lee, Osral Allred, Carl Purcell, Bonnie Posselli and Jossy Lownes. Each teacher has left a piece of themselves with me. What an artistic stew I've become.
I've be doing watercolors since 1995. I understand the medium and do some of my best work with water. In 2000, I started working with oil paint. (Oil & water really don't mix.) Since then, I've been branching out and trying lots of different media. My present favorite is collage; using watercolor on rice paper, tearing and cutting my designs and landscapes, then pasting them down. It's freed my creativity and imagination.
My latest endeavor is called "I Love Lizards". They're lizards, frogs & spiders that are magnetic pins. I drill, glue & hand paint each and every one with love. I can't seem to paint them fast enough! Who knew? I have a studio in the Rockwood building, but I paint at home on my kitchen counter most of the time. I'm still exercising my right brain with music, dance, gardening and art. I just haven't completely decided what I want to be when I grow up.
