Beyond Brushes

I strive to find interesting ways to use palette knives and utilize everyday household items to add various textures to my paintings. I find this a fun creative way to layer and add interesting depth to my subject matter. I put on some good music and let my mind wonder a bit without the pressure of being so concise with my brush strokes. The colors are bright and fun and meant to provoke feelings of joy and happiness.

I am a self-taught artist utilizing acrylic, watercolor, and ink mediums for my paintings. I work full time as a small-town City Clerk/Administrator and took to painting much more frequently in my free time when the global pandemic hit. I used my art as a way to shut out the panic and chaos, that was the world around us for the time being and focused my energy on manipulating paint as a means of something I could control. I took a chance, overcame the vulnerability, and started to show my work through my personal social media. The rest is history.

I’ve continued to push my abilities and comfort level to reach new boundaries I never thought I could. I’ve submitted artwork to county and state fairs, started teaching painting classes, participated in a live art competing, plein air painted at the state fair, have participated in many art festivals in the last few years, and started a yearly youth art camp in my hometown. My daughter is also a huge motivator for me as she shares the same passion for the arts, so I’ve been able to share this journey with her and empower her to also share her photography as well!