My history
For as long as I can remember, I've meticulously tried to recreate the world as a drawing on paper or with paint on a canvas. I've reacquainted with painting in the last couple of years, and it's been a fantastic journey.
What makes me stay up too late, fills my weekends, and brings so much joy? Painting, of course. I am driven to create, and I love making something from nothing while enjoying good and frustrating moments. It's become a more regular part of my schedule in the last year, and I have enjoyed getting started with plein air painting. I've been "stuck in the hustle" for a few too many years. My painting time is a way to reconnect and allows me to take a deeper look at the world.
What I've been up to:
- Eden Prairie Art Center Members' Show, March 2015 (Eden Prairie, MN) – Untitled
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, October 2017 (Hopkins, MN) – Time to Make Salsa
- Hopkins Art Center Spring Members' Show, May 2018 (Hopkins, MN)
- World of Plants, August 2018 (Blaine, MN) – Summer Day and Medicine Lake
- Port Wing Plein Air Festival, August 2018 (Port Wing, WI)
- Oshkosh Plein Air, August 2018 (Oshkosh, WI)
- OPM Fall Salon Artist Reception at Frameworks Gallery, October 2018 (St. Paul, MN) – Along the Kettle River
- Outdoor Painters of MN show at MN Landscape Arboretum, October 2018 (Chaska, MN) – Harmony and Majestic Willows
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, October 2018 (Hopkins, MN) – Summer Day
- Outdoor Painters of MN Salon Alla Prima at the Gallery at Zeller Studio, March 2019 (Hopkins, MN) – The Bees Freeze
- Hopkins Art Center Spring Members' Show, May 2019 (Hopkins, MN) – The Bees Freeze
- Port Wing Plein Air Festival, August 2019 (Port Wing, WI)
- Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, August 2019 – Midnight Snack
- Plein Air Grand Marais, September 2019 (Grand Marais, MN)
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, October 2019 (Hopkins, MN) – Good Day in Grand Marais
- Poetry In Song Show at the Draw, November 2019 (Appleton, WI) – Good Day in Grand Marais
- Small Works at Red Wing Arts, December 2019 (Red Wing, MN) – Passing on By, Bought a Lemon, and Oh What a View!
- Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, August 2020 – Heading Home
- Plein Air Grand Marais, September 2020 (Grand Marais, MN)
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, November 2020 (Hopkins, MN) – Beginning of Fall
- Plein Air Grand Marais, September 2021 (Grand Marais, MN)
- Artist Showcase, September 2021 (St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, MN) – Beginning of Fall
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, October 2021 (Hopkins, MN) Award of Merit – Grand Marais Garage
- Field-to-Studio Exhibit at Phipps Center for the Arts, October 2021 (Hudson, WI) – Smokey Sunrise
- Out and About Exhibit at Brookview Community Center, March 2022 (Golden Valley, MN)
- Member Artist Spotlight at Cream & Amber, May 2022 (Hopkins, MN)
- Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, August 2022 – Set in Stone
- Plein Air Grand Marais, September 2022 (Grand Marais, MN)
- Exhibition at Frameworks Gallery, May 2023 (St. Paul, MN)
- Hopkins Art Center Juried Show, September 2023 (Hopkins, MN) – Rugged Sunset
About my art
My work has a subtle glow and calmness. I have been influenced by realism and fascinated by Chiaroscuro in Renaissance paintings. This fascination began in college in my first art history course.
The paint style is carefully applied, leaving an organic texture. I am a recovering perfectionist. I do my best to create technically correct drawings, but I am working on taking more artistic license.
I love art because it often strikes up a conversation. Artwork gives personality to every home. My motto is "fill the walls". There's something so special about connecting with an original work of art. Original works range in price and are made of high-quality materials, so they will be around for a long time. I have enjoyed creating each piece and hope you enjoy my work!
Why I create
I often say, "I didn't choose to be an artist; the art life art chose me." I love challenges, often choose intricate subject matter, and always strive to improve. I have sacrificed a lot to produce art but would not have it any other way. Each time I paint, I am thankful I have the desire and feel to create art.
We have lost connections to the physical world due to the digital scape that has taken over our lives. I create oil paintings that capture moments in time that showcase objects, landscapes, and species.
I am a technical painter. I have a technical day job, too, so there's no escape from this mindset. I love doing value studies, and art is a great way to disconnect from technology and appreciate where I am now. I have made new friends, discovered new places, and developed a new appreciation for painting.
My life outside of art
I am a digital professional during the day who looks forward to creating art in the analog space in the evenings. Art is not my full-time gig, but no matter where I am or what I am doing, I find myself going through my day looking for lights and shadows wherever I am. My curiosity doesn't rest, and I am constantly thinking of how to mix the colors I see in the world.
With many years working as a graphic designer, web developer, and UX Designer, it is natural that artwork carries some digital influence. Lights and darks are enhanced. I'm doing my best to paint as brightly as possible, yet accurately. Because I look at a backlit screen for most of my day, colors may be enhanced and push boundaries of what is "colorfully possible." A transition happens when I go from digital work to working with paint. I love the constant challenge of bringing this combination to life. You'll see that my artwork strongly emphasizes lights and shadows, and my love of contrast really comes through.