About

I am an Indiana native currently living in Bloomington with my husband, two children, cat, chickens and pigeons. I moved to Bloomington to attend Indiana University, where I received my BFA in 2013. My work is inspired by the little moments in everyday life.

Although I didn’t start painting until college, I have always found ways to be creative. Whether it was collecting garbage, making pipe cleaner creatures or drawing, I have always found joy in creating. I have always been bombarded with thoughts and ideas. Being able to create a thought into something tangible is very exciting. I feel honored to get these ideas out of my head and give them life. 

I typically give my ideas life through the act of painting. There is something about pushing paint around on a palette to create a rich, creamy color and applying it one stroke at a time. It is a forgiving medium allowing me to play and explore without too much risk. For me painting is much more about the physical process of using blocks of shape and color to create an image than conveying a message. 

I’m drawn to creating works of animals. I find them incredibly mysterious. We can spend time with them, study their behaviors and habits, but never really be able to fully understand them. I also love how they all seem to have their own unique personalities, that are expressed through body language.

 One of my favorite subjects is birds.  They are such visually odd creatures. They stand on two very skinny legs and have robust bodies that come in all sorts of variations. They are very intelligent creatures, and they seem to coexist with other much larger animals. Most of all, they are all around and often go unnoticed. (Like flying ninjas)

My other favorite subject is livestock. They are beautiful animals. I have always enjoyed cattle, but not until recently has it become a true obsession. I believe it is because the more my life becomes noisy and chaotic, they provide a calm, still moment. You can stop, look out into a field and just watch them stand. Take an actual deep breath in and forget about life just for a second and admire their beauty. (Also, I absolutely love the smell of cows.) Unfortunately, I’m not able to just hang out with cows that much, but they are always there on the side of the road to remind me to slow down and remember how simple and beautiful life can be. With regards to painting them, they have lots of sharp angles as well as soft curves. This makes for a fun challenge.

My two favorite subjects happen to have a great relationship with on another. The cattle stir up bugs from out of the grass for birds to eat, and the birds eat parasites off of them. (If that’s is not true friendship, what is?)

When I am not painting, I often find myself enjoying the outdoors with my husband and two children or at the sewing machine. I have taken it upon myself to sew my own wardrobe. It’s a liberating process and is great for someone who dislikes clothes shopping.