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I've been an artist and writer since I was very young. Words and images have always been linked for me when it comes to expression and creativity.
Art and poetry were safe places for me and a way to work through a turbulent
childhood. Growing up in an alcoholic household made things unsteady and
frightening, but drawing and writing poetry was how I worked through anything
that made me sad or scared. In my early years, the images I created were dark,
a silent cry for help underneath layers of paint.
My story could have remained a cautionary tale, but instead it became a story of redemption. God lifted me from the pain and shame in living with an abusive, alcoholic parent and showed me hope and truth.
In sharing parts of my life with people, I hear many similar stories.
While those sad years are long gone for me, I continue to talk about my rocky start in life because I want people to know there is a way out of it.
This desire to offer hope and encouragement is the intention behind my art.
I am a self-taught artist, painting almost every day. It is a practice I started as a child and have continued through the present day. I also still write and publish poetry. I feel these two are linked for me. Words and images are closely tied in telling a story of faith and confidence about the future.
Over the years, my painting has evolved from oils to acrylics to now, a collection of paints, inks, pastels, added with things like lace, music sheets, book pages, and other ephemera. I paint with bright colors and whimsical images to show the light of a world beyond this one, where there is only hope and possibility.
I've been influenced by a variety of artists, but my favorites are the emotive works of Vincent Van Gogh and the mother and child paintings of Mary Cassatt.
I use special papers and ephemera along with acrylic paints, oil sticks, pastels, and ink. Very often words combine with the art in some way, either from Bible verses, a thought or emotion, or lines from my original poetry. I encourage people to get up close to my art and see the small details that are included.
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