I love to paint with color and texture and manipulate the materials. My artwork incorporates layers of acrylic, gel, pastel and graphite while altering the mediums with water sand and other fibers. I paint with loose and gesturally brush marks like sketching. When I am painting, mixing and layering, I’m constantly wondering... .“what happens if?” All of my art is inspired by my surroundings whether it be travel, music, people, an event or sometimes just my mood. As a child, I had an interest in painting and drawing, but it wasn’t until 2011 that I opened a studio at the encouragement of friends. I earned a degree in communications and graphic design from The University of Alabama and pursued a career in graphic arts. After several years in the graphic design industry, I earned a Master of Education in Art and while teaching High School level art, I had the opportunity to explore a variety of mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolor, drawing, photography and ceramics. I am a native Texan, but having lived in Alabama for over 25 years, I consider it my true home. My southern roots are strong and another inspiration for my work. For approximately six years I lived in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and in 2021 relocated to Western Michigan . In the summer of 2023 our family will head south again to Little Rock, Arkansas. Having a background in graphic arts, my abstract work has evolved from linear to free form, colorful and very textural. The layers, movement and color in the works of Willem de Kooning have provided inspiration for me. I am always experimenting with a variety of mediums creating works that keep the eye moving around the canvas. My curiosity keeps me continually emerging as an artist.