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I was an artist by the age of 12. I would pull a lawn chair out into the yard and paint plein air in my little country hometown. By high school, I had worked art into my academic life. My hands were always busy with a pencil or brush or some other tool of creation. It followed me to college, where I minored in art as I studied to become an English teacher.
After college, I became the wife of a medical school student, then resident, and eventually doctor. We welcomed four children, and I found new channels for my creativity. I hosted after-school art classes in my garage and art-themed birthday parties; I painted a mural on my wall. When we moved to Illinois, we purchased a large home and the many bare walls stirred something in me. I needed a lot of art, which required a lot of money. I decided I’d display my own paintings. I took a local art class and have been growing my art collection ever since, with my own original paintings and those of my classmates.
The local gallery director and my art teacher became my close friends and mentors. They taught me more than my academic studies could have.
Painting has become a constant for me in a time full of change. My two older daughters left home for college last year, and my art gave me an outlet for the many emotions that ensued. The work that resulted finally prompted me to begin selling my work. My family, especially my husband, have been my greatest motivation and support as I pursue this lifelong dream.
The art I create now is the best I ever have. Having made many homes, raised a handful of children, and gathered more memories than I can count, I now see and paint through a new lens—one that celebrates the wonder of everyday life and the mundane moments that add up to a life well-lived. I like to think that my work honors timelessness and simplicity above all. Any connection that it creates for its owner is my greatest reward.
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