I have been drawing and painting since I was a very young girl. I used to make grids and practice drawing Garfield comics on them when I was in the 3rd grade. Art was always my favorite “special” class at school and hobby when I was home. I studied art all through high school, winning a “Best of Show” award for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo school art competition. I went on to study Painting at Texas Tech University where I began using oil paints. To this day, I love blending edges, at one time using my fingers, and oil paint allows more workable time to do that. While I don’t use my fingers to blend edges anymore, the combination of oil and round brushes is my technique of choice.

How does your medium inform your viewpoint? What do you like most about your medium?
I love the richness and depth of oil paints. I also love the gradations of dryness oil paints have, from very thin and wet to a thicker but alterable dry to an immovable paste. Each stage of the drying process allows me to achieve different effects, apply layers of color, and move the paint to give the look I want. I feel oils and I share the same personality trait of taking our time, going slow and patiently, so, we get along well.

Who or what have been your artistic inspirations?
I adore Lucian Freud and his use of color. I look to his portraits especially for inspiration and guidance, especially when painting figures and portraits. I also look to the beautiful paintings of Mark Maggiori and how he can capture nature, horses, and the Western landscape with such gorgeous color, softness, and thorough understanding of light and how it changes a subject’s color.

Do you have a favorite piece in your portfolio?
I think my favorite is probably a tie between “Flowers” and “Chief.” “Flowers” surprisingly (and much to my joy!) turned out to resemble glass, and “Chief” looked as though I could reach out and feel his mane. I love feeling surprised by the end-product, arriving at a destination that varies a little than I expected.

What would be your advice to artists just starting out in your medium?
My only advice would be to paint as much as you can and notice how you respond to your subject and medium. Do you want to fix every detail? Do you want to hang on to the “mistakes”? Do you prefer to work quickly or slowly? Embrace how you authentically work and interact with your medium, and you’ll be amazed at how your own style is really speaking in those little decisions. Let them shine.