One of my fondest memories growing up was opening a new box of crayons, taking a waxy whiff, then scanning those "never touched" pointed bright colors and choosing one , (or two or three), . . . glorious! Like a giddy child, I still get excited over simple things like the smells and sparkle of new art materials. Always open to trying a new method, my artwork says that I am not afraid to push the boundaries. I typically am not content to stick to one medium, because for me that would be boring. That is why I like to say that Mixed Media Art chose me.
It may not come as a surprise that even my art heroes are diverse. Some of my favorite artists are:
Leonardo Da Vinci - for the graceful use of line in his drawings;
Claude Monet - for his soothing colors that invite the viewer into his peaceful sanctuary, (the man loved color, as do I);
Gustav Klimt - for his whimsical and yet elegant use of gold leaf, (his work is still emulated by artists to this day, including myself);
Joseph Cornell - "eccentric" doesn't begin to describe his assemblage boxes, but I just can't stop staring and loving it;
Austin Kleon - thank you for freeing me up to see art in a new way and stating it so beautifully;
Soo Sunny Park - mesmerized, I want to live in your pearly, shimmery, sea shell like installations;
and street artist Bumble Bee - you make me laugh and inspire me to not take life so seriously, to literally think outside the box (especially when it's a phone booth box), to see positive possibilities beyond what may appear ugly on the surface, and to try to make the world a better place than how I found it.
Telling a story with paint and brush based on my personal life events reveals that, like art making, sometimes life is messy. And whether celebrating times of joy or looking beyond the mess, there is hope. For me that hope rests in the loving hands of my heavenly Father. My goal is to connect the dots between my art and the viewer, so that we may discover together those things common in the human experience.
It may not come as a surprise that even my art heroes are diverse. Some of my favorite artists are:
Leonardo Da Vinci - for the graceful use of line in his drawings;
Claude Monet - for his soothing colors that invite the viewer into his peaceful sanctuary, (the man loved color, as do I);
Gustav Klimt - for his whimsical and yet elegant use of gold leaf, (his work is still emulated by artists to this day, including myself);
Joseph Cornell - "eccentric" doesn't begin to describe his assemblage boxes, but I just can't stop staring and loving it;
Austin Kleon - thank you for freeing me up to see art in a new way and stating it so beautifully;
Soo Sunny Park - mesmerized, I want to live in your pearly, shimmery, sea shell like installations;
and street artist Bumble Bee - you make me laugh and inspire me to not take life so seriously, to literally think outside the box (especially when it's a phone booth box), to see positive possibilities beyond what may appear ugly on the surface, and to try to make the world a better place than how I found it.
Telling a story with paint and brush based on my personal life events reveals that, like art making, sometimes life is messy. And whether celebrating times of joy or looking beyond the mess, there is hope. For me that hope rests in the loving hands of my heavenly Father. My goal is to connect the dots between my art and the viewer, so that we may discover together those things common in the human experience.
Education
Mixed Media Painting and Art Education, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado
Mixed Media Painting instruction from Artist, Catherine Carilli, Boulder, Colorado
Associate of Arts degree, Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, California
Related Experience
Student Teacher - Harmony Library Youth Arts Program, Fort Collins, Colorado
Student Teacher Presentation - Art Education Methods, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado
Art history of the Hanuman sculpture (India, circa 1800s) and how it relates to Contemporary idols
Teacher/Class Observations:
T R Paul Academy of Arts & Knowledge, Fort Collins, Colorado - (5th Grade) Art
Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, Fort Collins, Colorado - (High School) Art History - A Parody
Exhibitions
2017 - 3 Square Art fine art gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado - "3SA Dwellers” group exhibition
2017 - 3 Square Art fine art gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado - "America" juried group exhibition
2017 - Community Creative Center, Fort Collins, Colorado - "Open Hang" group exhibition
2017 - 3 Square Art fine art gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado - "Life's So Green" juried group exhibition, Honor Award recipient
2017 - 3 Square Art fine art gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado - "Vision" juried group exhibition
2017 - Lincoln Center Studio Tour, Fort Collins, Colorado
2015 - Community Creative Center, Fort Collins, Colorado - "Expressive Painting Studies" student group exhibition
Professional Affiliations
3 Square Art fine art gallery and studios, Fort Collins, Colorado
Artists Association of Northern Colorado
Always Be Creating art community in Northern Colorado