California Wildflower

Life is about learning and enjoying the company of others.

People often ask me questions when I tell them I am an artist. Here are some of the questions and answers that have surfaced recently:

Where do you get your inspiration? Outside and Inside….myself that is.I set out to describe my definition of home in response to an 11 month international travel experience. I felt an eagerness to express what I felt to be specific and special about this place I call home. There was also a fear that if I did not continue painting, the right of this creative passage would be diverted. Almost fearing that the desire for marriage, family life and financial stability would be prioritized.

How often do you paint? I paint because I have to. People all over the country, many of whom I have never met in person collect my work. I love to sell and share the goodness I feel inside. Making art is about communication. It must move out into the world and exist beyond the creator to be relevant. I have an almost daily approach to working. At the present, I am painting 30-40 hours a week.

Do you have a studio space? Yes! After working en plein air (outside) for 9 years, I moved in the space I have now 12 years ago. I love having a studio space to focus on what is actually being built from within. It is a privilege to paint in “A Room of One’s Own” (as Virginia Woolf so eloquently described) and I do not take this lightly.

(shhhh don’t tell my landlord, there are several nails on the building so I can view my works in progress from across the patio and street.)

What kind of paint do you use? I have worked exclusively in oil paint for 23 Last year, LA artist Habib Zamani came over for a studio visit and told me, “why don’t you paint big”, take up some space”, he said. This conversation propelled me into working on large pieces of unstretched canvas with acrylic paint. Inspired by the work of Helen Frankenthaler, I taught myself a new way of working with acrylics on raw canvas. Then I received a monthlong residency at the Vermont Studio Center where I pushed the large paintings in a whole new direction.

What is the most difficult part of being a full time artist? I am a super social person and this work can be very isolating.

What are you working on now? A commission for collectors back East (their 4th painting) , completing several large scale pool paintings and of course several mobile home park paintings.

Thank you for stopping by!

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Montana Avenue: Meet the Artist

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Artist in Residence: Vermont Studio Center

What a gift it was to receive a month-long residency at the Vermont Studio Center. The contrast between leaving the bustling city of Los Angeles and immersing myself in the serene, small town feeling of Vermont is evident in the big leap I was able to make in the work. It’s clear that the landscape and thriving arts community provided the perfect backdrop for uninterrupted exploration and self-discovery.

Working outside of one’s comfort zone can be both exhilarating and challenging. Sourcing images from Instagram and private gardens I sought to expand on the pool series in a new way. The unfamiliarity of the medium, in this case, thin washes of acrylic paint and water on 5′ x 6′ raw canvas, added excitement and the occasional deep frustration to my process. To work on this scale, I was literally getting wet, which brought the feeling of vacation all over me and the studio. It’s through these moments of experimentation that I was able to gain a deeper understanding of my potential and vision.

The residency culminated in an exhibition where this new work was shared with the local community and fellow artists. It was a gratifying experience to showcase the fruits of our labor and engage with people who appreciate and understand the artistic journey.

Undoubtedly, the memories, connections with fellow artists and lessons learned during this residency will always hold a special place in my artistic development.

I invite you to view some photos from this exciting journey. Feel free to ask me questions. This work is available.

I loved working large in this beautiful riverside studio! It made me feel like I hit the big time.

How it began.

I ruined this painting. In an attempt to punctuate certain areas I put too much emphasis on the plants. As I worked, they became darker and darker. Instead of being almost done, I destroyed all the wonderful parts of the painting. For the first time in my studio life, I was so upset I cried. The intensity was real. This is what I was searching for; a transformation. After working consistently for 20 + year, it was most humbling to have this level of disappointment and struggle. Later that day, I walked into the art supply store bought more canvas and began another painting (first image at the top of this page)

Here I am experimenting and oh my goodness, I made a finished painting in the process!

Of course this California girl provided her studio guests a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc from her fancy paint bucket on opening night.

Studio View with refreshing river sounds!

Thanks for visiting! May Peace be with you!

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Floating Away From Los Angeles

As a native Angeleno, there was a time, that I wanted to leave Los Angeles. All my friends were moving away, getting married, transferring jobs and I, was “still here”.

The artist in me began looking for ways to describe these feelings on a professional level. Craving change, adventure, togetherness-Somehow making paintings of boats provided excellent subject matter for these feelings . Through the process of painting, I learned that it is possible to change in place. If you are feeling stuck or confused, just think about a sailboat gliding through the water. It’s supposed to take time-

Santa Monica Commission

They loved it! Chelsea, a Los Angeles native, had a huge living room wall with nothing on it. She said she tried multiple times to buy art online, but she did not feel a connection to the ocean scenes she came across. She wanted something she could relate to, something from her own personal experience. Armed with a drone and a direction, Chelsea and Michael went out to find the perfect spot along the Santa Monica coast. I titled this painting “Drive to Work” because this is the feel good view Chelsea enjoys on the way to her job. And what a view it is! Thank you for commissioning me to make this painting!!

There were so many details in this seaside view! These are the tiny paint brushes I used on this huge surface.

I have my canvas stretched on custom made surfaces by Stretcher Options in Los Angeles. Many artists prefer to save money and make their own surfaces. The truth is, I do not enjoy measuring and just want to get straight to painting. The size of this canvas is 4 1/2′ x 5′. I painted it for a solid week and touched it up the following week.

Work in Progress in the studio. I bought myself an orchid to encourage my growth as an artist.

Inspirational images:

Wayne Thiebaud and Richard Diebenkorn

The Painted BEach

Like a surfer, I am in search of the perfect flow between form and structure. I want the viewer to be pulled into this neighborhood and feel immediately connected to the environment. There is a chaotic mix of industrial materials, hardscape and the natural landscape where palm trees prevail. I use colors that are vibrant, earthy and nothing like the actual neighborhood I am portraying. Drawing from my background in Landscape and Floral Design I enthusiastically change and rearrange the vegetation as well.