FROM SEA TO MOUNTAIN STUDIO

I spent my childhood in Ohio, and my years raising a family and building a career on the Northeast Coast of Florida. After retiring from commercial real estate, my husband and I spent 5 years cruising on a motor yacht, exploring inland rivers as far north as Nova Scotia and heading south offshore to the islands of Trinidad. When the time came to return to land living, we were drawn to the hills by memories of the Smokey Mountains. We found our peaceful bit of forest in the Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. I walked onto the property and simply knew it would be the place where I would start painting. After taking up residence in 2014, I picked up a paint brush for the very first time in my life. Now, I simply want to paint everyday - I get lost in it, and the inner peace I find there is my spirituality.

 
 

I work in a studio filled with windows that showcase the surrounding forest. Mother Nature is my muse, and time spent in stillness with woodland creatures provides endless inspiration. I feel a sense of communion with all animals, and find myself studying their behaviors and expressions as I imagine myself stepping into their experiences.

I begin my realistic interpretations of nature with behavioral observations, photographs and drawings that I transfer to canvas. I enjoy the exploration of different mediums and I pair my use of watercolor, acrylic and oil paints with the many different ways nature speaks to me.

 

I build my wildlife images from layers of carefully rendered details. My attention to characteristic colors and markings, as well as my understanding of behavior and habitat, give my paintings the feel of a lived and loved experience. I regard my journey as a painter to be an empowering gift - to myself, and hopefully to those who view my paintings.

 
 
 

COMMISSIONS

I create commissioned artworks of animals and pets, as well as people and places.

 
 
 

Commissioned paintings are based on submitted photos and can be executed in watercolors, acrylics or oils. Please allow at least 8-12 weeks for completion of a painting after a contract is signed - large scale images will require additional time. CONTACT ME for more information.

 
 
 

GALLERIES

You can see my paintings in Asheville’s famous River Arts District.

TRACKSIDE STUDIOS

375 DEPOT STREET, ASHEVILLE, NC 28801

I also exhibit my paintings at MOUNTAIN NEST GALLERY and THE RED HOUSE STUDIOS & GALLERY in Black Mountain, NC.