PAINT WHAT'S REAL

I love the practice of direct painting whether I’m en plein air or in the studio. We do not fabricate something into existence. Instead, we utilize the elements of fine art and design to communicate a feeling about the subject. All these beautiful moments captured in the form of paintings are real. Circumstances could be at their worst, but the light shining through the window onto a bouquet of roses will still be lovely. While I love the challenge of mastering a skill and the pursuit of deeper knowledge, beauty is an experience to which I am invited. Creation will continue to be beautiful whether I capture it or not. Through painting, I interact with beauty in a very intimate way. As I join in with the overflow, others witness my joy.

I began painting as a student in my teens with Miss Barbara and Miss Stephanie at Children’s Art Classes. During these early years of studying I felt the initial spark to paint nature from life much like the Impressionist Masters. That kindling of  inspiration remained dormant during my college years, but reignited as I took my first oil painting workshop as an adult after college. I now seek the mentorship of current fine art professionals taking as many workshops as I can to sharpen my abilities in oil and pastel painting. I am a member of the American Impressionist Society, Oil Painters of America, and the Booth Artists Guild. 

Beauty brings a sense of wonder that cuts through the busy static of life leaving a deep, impactful silence.

Looking back on those early years of studying art, I also recall countless hours running down green, sunlit paths in Florida. No matter what time of year, something blooms with color everywhere you look. The way the light hits the earth in a warm, vibrant glow feels specific to where I grew up. As I look at my current work as an adult, each piece emulates that same vibrant glow I chased down so many trails in my youth. 

I could have built a fort with the amount of art history books I read. While interacting with nature in this unique way, I learned about the progression of art history into the Impressionist movement. The way these painters described and captured the changing of light and color articulated my experience in a way I was unable to speak myself. Later, I learned that thousands of people around the world are headed back outdoors to paint like the Masters did almost one hundred years ago. Painting, be it en plein or in the studio, offers community and challenge in a way few other things can suffice.

I was fortunate to attend Berry College where endless miles of trails served as the next catalyst to my artistic endeavor. Though I did not choose to study art there, the inkling to observe nature and the changing of light as I ran trails never evaded me. What started as a few miles to clear my head of classes grew into my current source of inspiration for painting. In the murky fog of pursuing a career and education, running trails reminded me of those beautiful moments in Florida where I felt a genuine sense of joy. It was like waking up to a call that had grown louder as time progressed. After years of returning to this place of solitude and silence, these trails grew into what feels like the familiar comfort of an old friend. No matter what changed over the years, this quiet space was always a constant- a beckoning to delight in the beauty of our creator.