Nothing beats that moment, after my initial drawing is transferred to my watercolor paper, when I can start putting down color. I’m drawn to paint things that may seem ordinary or mundane, but with the right light I find exciting to bring to life. My goal is to make the viewer stop and notice the subject of the painting as more than ‘vegetables on a table’, or ‘coffee canisters’, but rather shapes, forms and colors that speak in their own artistic way. I want to show the beauty or interest in that ‘ordinary’ subject matter. I enjoy painting a variety of subjects, but seem to gravitate to close-up still life or unusual perspectives.

My watercolor paintings are built up slowly with many glazes of transparent color, using the paper for white. This method creates a glow from within and a more solid looking form than can be achieved with some other methods.

I paint in acrylic on canvas or board as well, which allows me to work in almost the opposite method and I enjoy the contrast of mediums. Acrylic allows me to be more spontaneous and make adjustments as I paint. I can also work larger more easily with acrylic.

In the summer of 2015, after becoming frustrated with acrylics when painting outdoors, en plein air, I decided to work with oil paints as well. This allows me to get more opaque coverage and not to have quite the challenges of acrylics with wind and other weather issues.

Bringing a painting to life from a stark white sheet of paper or canvas is a source of real joy for me.

“Rust & Rivets” was juried into the 68th Rochester/Finger Lakes Exhibition at the Memorial Art Gallery in 2023.

Painting at Paul Smith College’s VIC. This painting, “Morning in the Marsh,” won an award in the 2020 Adirondack Plein Air Festival.

My (short) Story

The three oldest kids with Mom and baby bunnies. (I’m the youngest.)

I grew up in a family of eight in upstate NY surrounded by nature. My mother was an oil painter when she could find the time and I'm sure that made a huge impact on my interest in art. I can't remember a time I wasn't drawing. I graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and later moved to Madison, Wisconsin where I worked as a graphic designer. Aside from six years in Colorado, Madison was my hometown where my husband Jim and I raised our children and shared our home with our large, happy sheepdog. But things have come full circle, and in the summer of 2013 we moved east to upstate New York. We decided it was the right time to be near my family once more. We live in the Rochester area where I'm quite sure I'll never run out of painting inspiration.

Galleries and Art Shops

So, where can you see my work? In December of 2019 ten other fine artists and I formed a gallery in Pittsford, NY. You can see my work there or contact me directly to see other works I may have available. The Store @MAG carries some originals as well as prints and note cards. And I am one of the juried artists at the Arts Center of Yates County and have art in most exhibits there. Other venues can be found on my Events & Exhibits page.

PITTSFORD FINE ART

Stop by and check out the art in our beautiful space under the village clock at the intersection of Main and State in Pittsford, NY.

Original art as well as prints and cards are for sale at The Store @ MAG, Rochester, NY

The Arts Center of Yates County. 127 Main St., Penn Yan

What About Prints?

I am often asked if I have prints for sale of my original artwork. I have some Archival prints of original paintings at Pittsford Fine Art, the Arts Center of Yates County and the Store @ MAG. I have uploaded some of my work on Fine Art America, so you can order prints (and other things with my artwork images) directly and you can even have it framed before it’s sent to you. Click here or on the logo to take a look or order.

I have note cards of some of my original paintings!

I sell 4 different groupings of note cards in sets of 8 cards and envelopes in each box. If you would like to purchase note cards send me a message on the Contact page or call. I'm happy to make up custom boxes if you prefer. Each box is $12 plus shipping.