For half my life I’ve lived in Colorado, but I’m a Kansas girl. Sunflowers and black dirt are in my blood. I grew up on 40 acres outside of a small town, about 50 miles south of KC. I was the third out of 4 children, and the only girl. Fun fact:  I share the same birthday with both my mom AND my dad.

 

I have always loved art. In elementary school, while other girls were braiding each others’ hair, I was busy tracing horses in the Encyclopedia Brittanica. With my curly hair. I hated my curly hair. But tracing the horses led to drawing the horses, and faces, and just about anything.

 

I took art all 4 years of high school. I had the coolest Art teacher, Mrs. Blankenship. She drove a Berlinetta, and she was a great artist. And the best teacher ever.

 

I was the first person in my family to go to college. The fact that my pragmatic parents sent me to college to study Art of all things, blows my mind. I am forever grateful. While in college, earning my degrees in Art and French, I concentrated on oils and printmaking. I also picked up a side gig in graphic arts, making logos and designing T-shirts and other party favors for college parties.

 

After graduation, I continued working in graphic design for a few years. Then I decided to get a “real” job. I followed my father’s footsteps and became an air traffic controller. It was a great career. I loved it, and was good at it. After 25 years of ATC, I felt God say in my spirit, “It is time to retire from this. Now you will return to your first love (art), and this time it will be with Me.” My response? OK, yes SIR, I’m all in!

 

After retirement, I explored a few art mediums and brushed up my skills at Schissler Academy in Loveland, Colorado. Word began to spread that I was an artist, and very soon I was painting at live events at my church. Acrylics were best suited for live painting, as they are relatively inexpensive, and they dry quickly. I loved this form of expression, especially creating with the Holy Spirit. As I painted, I would hear Him and feel Him guide me.

 

Then came 2020. Live events shut down. My entire body of work was from live events. What was I to do now? I realized that now I could do whatever I wanted. Of course, it would still be with God. I have always loved portraiture, and decided to pursue it. I began painting bold acrylic portraits in palette knife. My portraits are inspired by Ephesians 2:10, where God says: “You are a masterpiece”. I believe that you are a masterpiece, uniquely and wonderfully created by the Master Artist.

 

By the end of 2023, I felt the Lord whisper to me, “Draw near to Me”. I recognized the pun in it, and began rekindling my love with drawing. 

 

As 2024 unraveled, I found myself drawing in graphite and charcoal. I fell in love with charcoal on canvas, and created a series of hands. Hands can be so expressive. During the summer of 2024, I felt a strong pull back towards oils. I realized that I was able to paint odor-free in my studio. Much different than the turpentine I used back in college. I love the buttery feel of oils. I also love that they are not plastic. I still have my acrylics, and occasionally use them when painting at a worship event.

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Please visit Lincoln Gallery or my gallery page to see my latest works.

 

You are a masterpiece.

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