I remember in kindergarten loving the
smell of a new box of crayons as I couldn’t wait to try them out. At a
young age I would make sketches of faces from magazines and other types
of books. I made pastel drawings for my relatives as Christmas
gifts and was later surprised to find out they still have them today.
Although I have always been creative, it took one art class at
Hallahan High School to capture and keep my
interest in the world of art. Over the years I continued a search for my
place while my flame of creativity flickered on and off. My flame grew
as I started forward with a drawing class at Cabrini. After taking a few
more art classes at other schools such as MCCC and the
Mainline Art Center, and lots of support from family and friends, I
eventual finished up at Rosemont College with a BA in studio art.
At MCCC I experimented with oils and was very impressed with the way
that the paints flowed onto the canvas. I also like knowing that the
richness of each color stays even when the paint has dried. While
attending Rosemont I had taken a job assisting a floral organization in
the preparation of weddings and other gatherings. Each centerpiece was
always more breathtaking than the next. It was then that I developed a
fond appreciation for flowers and my two loves became one as I painted
canvases filled with flowers. I was encouraged by my advisor as well as
some other wonderful professors to continue on with my floral designs as
I heard the words... "Don't stop painting!"
There were a few short pauses but I continue by sharing what I do with
others. Through the use of color, space and unity, I fill a canvas with
flowers sometimes leaving little room for anything else. Occasionally I
do leave room. As I continue to paint what I am painting, I cannot help
but see that each flower has a personality of its own, like
people. I enjoy the completion of each piece as I see a
story in some of my paintings, sometimes like a group of people posing
for a picture, sometimes unintentionally. I am inspired to capture some
of the beauty that was created by the flowers original artist. I work
with other mediums such as gouache, acrylics, pastel, wood, intaglio
prints and fabric. My
pieces range in size from 4" x 6" up to 36" x 48".
