If I had to chose one word to describe my life passion, it would be CREATE! As a young child, my artistic endeavors were fostered and encouraged because my parents believed creativity was the foundation for adaptability and survival in life.  They taught me that if I could be creative in my views and approaches in life, I could overcome any obstacle.  Not surprisingly, they raised three artistic women and also pursued art themselves.  In our family, we have almost every medium covered. Each of us does more than one thing and the things we dabble in are endless: writing, music, dance, blacksmithing, painting, drawing, silversmithing, home decorating, gardening…it goes on and on!

But I will say my parents also had a very practical side, too.  Creativity might help me survive, but it wouldn’t be the only skill I needed in life.  They also taught me that tenacity, discipline, intellectual curiosity, world travel, math and science, sheer will power and a relentless sense of humor are equally important. So, I grew up learning to flex both the right and left sides of my brain.

I’ve had a diverse career that has spanned many fields, from military law enforcement, waitressing, bartender, radio broadcasting, and retail sales to software consulting  and executive management.  I’ve been lucky enough to pursue those things that I’m most interested in that also allowed me to thrive in so many different ways.

But that one word has remained constant in my life no matter what job I’ve had: CREATE!  I’ve always identified myself more as an artist and designer than any job title I’ve ever held. It is core to who I am and I can’t imagine my life without it.

So, here is some of my art.  Through my pieces, I give you a view into my heart and my love of nature, animals and the people in my life.  I see all of the complexity and contradictions in the world around me. I hope that in sharing my creativity with you in this way, you see a bit of your own journey and feel a connection to someone else who might see the same beauty and tragedy in life that you’ve experienced.  Because if there is one message that I hope my art conveys, it’s this:

We are all connected.  You are never alone.  We all see the world together.