Mount Rainier, at twilight Painting

I grew up in a suburb just outside of Washington D.C. From a young age I loved all forms of art, fostered initially by a set of two artistic grandparents. I continued to experiment and sketch throughout high school and college and although my real desire was to major in fine art, I was scared at the prospect of not being able to make a decent living at it (like so many other artists), so I chose an equally powerful passion at the time – music business. Following college into my twenties, I largely gave up the pursuit of meaningful, consistent creation, instead doing random one-off pieces when the fickle muse of inspiration would appear. I felt blocked and unsure of any clear direction for the last 7-8 years. There is a really lovely quote by Albrecht Durer: “From this, the treasure secretly gathered in your heart will become evident through your creative work.” I have been treasure collecting for these many “dry” years. I’ve traveled to some breathtaking foreign countries and places. I’ve built a life with my husband and had two children in Nashville. I’ve watched friends and loved ones grow and change. In the words of Robert Henri, what’s coming out now is a “footprint of the state.” A slow and steady build-up of ideas and yearnings. For my thirtieth birthday, I attended an art lecture by Maggie Siner on light and composition and finally felt a spark of purpose again. I also (sort of obsessively) began following via Instagram a group of different photographers located on the west coast and PNW. I am currently, irresistibly drawn to the National Parks and landscapes of the west - scenes that are moody and create a simultaneous sense of intimacy and isolation, drama and peacefulness. My current work would best be described as semi-abstract expressionism.