The Art Dept

        I recently had a delightful experience at the Gaslight Art Colony. I was invited to have a solo exhibition of my art, which is a collection of mixed media paintings called "Of the Woods". Jo, the gallery director, informed me there would be three rooms and a long hallway available to display my work. She arranged for an opening for a Thursday evening, even though the openings for artists are normally on Saturdays. This invitation motivated me to go into "full-tilt production mode" in the studio, during what is normally "downtime". When I arrived to set up the show, Jo and some of the art colony members were very helpful in deciding where and how to hang all the pieces. The opening was well attended and I received much positive feedback about the art. By the end of the three weeks the show was up, I had sold two paintings and am now scheduled to teach a workshop. I look forward to working together with the Gaslight Art Colony! Here I am stan...

     Last September I sold a painting at the Penrod Art Fair. It was a large painting called Coneflowers in the Woods, similar to this one but larger than life.  My customer and I had a delightful conversation about the name Gypsy Rose, and the local history of Marshall Illinois. Turns out Rose was the queen of the band of gypsies that inhabited the area. At one point Rose blessed the area and decreed that no tornado would cause damage to the town. That blessing has held, as there has never been a tornado that has damaged the town .    Fast forward several weeks. I decided to go to a conference with my ministry, which would be held in Kansas City in February. I registered for the event and booked my reservation at the hotel, then looked at the map and realized that dang it's kind of far. I mean, no problem with a road trip, I am a seasoned solo traveler. But still, this was going to need to be bathed in prayer.  ...

Hello, it's been a minute. Let me introduce myself.          I’ve always been a lover of paint. I vividly remember the excitement I felt opening that  rectangular tin filled with round cakes of watercolor paint in elementary school. From that point on, I have desired to explore and express within the inviting purity of paint.           I studied Art Education and painting in college, and since then have come to enjoy the versatility and freedom of expression found in mixed media. I started a line of mixed media wearable art, which I have sold at juried art fairs in the midwest and Florida for more than 30 years.       In 2015 I began to develop a body of work called "Of the Woods”. These pieces began as watercolor paintings and evolved into mixed media. With these pieces  I hoped to provide a place of visual solace, so that, like the tallest trees, one may reach up to the heavens.  I was origin...

 Patterns is part of my "Of the Woods" miniseries. I combine paint, papers, ink, wax resist, linocut printing, fabric, colored pencils and canvas.  My aim is to combine these various materials to express life in its untamed tangle of exuberant growth. I want to offer a place of solace where, like the tallest trees, one can reach up to the heavens. Patterns is mounted on illustration board; the final size is 8” x 10”. This piece and many more will be available  at the Broad Ripple Art Fair,  May 14th and 15th in Indianapolis, IN

 Drawing and Painting is a four session class that will provide lively instruction, in-house art demos, and ample studio time for the making of art. We will be doing art pieces that involve pencils, markers, wax resist, watercolor and acrylic paint. The class is geared to jump start your creative process and develop your artistic abilities.  Students must be at least 16 years of age. No previous experience is necessary.  All materials will be provided; however, you may bring your own supplies as well.  When: The class will take place over 4 Tuesdays, January 3rd- 24th from 12-2. Where: All sessions will take place in my peaceful country studio. Directions and details will be given upon registration. Interested? To get more details and to register, go here:                            Drawing and Painting

                                               Here's the latest art on the easel "Of the Woods  mini- series" and by mini series I mean 8 x 10"each.       I combine paint, papers, ink, wax resist, linocut printing, fabric, colored pencils and canvas. My aim is to combine these various materials to express life in its untamed tangle of exuberant growth. I want to offer a visual place of solace where,  like the tallest  trees,  one can reach up  to the heavens. These pieces and more are  in my shop here

   It's November, and every morning now there is frost on the ground. Even so, t his yucca plant is thriving in the middle of my herb garden. Although not an herb itself, it is surrounded by bee balm, lavender, spearmint, peppermint and catnip in the spring and summer months.  It's a robust perennial, so it stays put long after all the herbs around it have died with the frosty November air.         I love the view looking straight down from the top of the plant. I am also fascinated with the silvery white threads that swirl out playfully from the stalks. The tall stems that radiate from the center shoot out stately spikes of white flowers in the summer.        The yuccas are such a beautiful part of my herb garden that I decided to do some paintings of them. Here they are, along with some photos from my actual plants and a video of the painting process. See those cool white threads?! The paintings and more are ...