My interest in art blossomed when I was in high school, and I have been an art student ever since. I attended Utah state University for a year where I studied art history, drawing, and ceramics. After moving to California, I became interested in Photography and ended up working in the production end of that field, first in the darkroom and later digital editing. By that time, I was living and working in Burbank and Hollywood.
I continued to take drawing and painting classes throughout, primarily interested in an impressionist style, and participated in shows in the area from time to time. Finally, I was able to join the Burbank Art Federation.
While working a Christmas show in Burbank, I came across an artist who was doing fluid art and I was dumbstruck. I had to get my hands on that medium. I’ve never had quite so much fun with my art.
This version of fluid art consists of making the paint liquid by mixing it with a medium until it is pourable. Then one can dump, pour, or pour through something, and move the paint around in various ways. The paints react with each other due to their different properties and create all kinds of fun effects. I use it primarily now to create landscapes, but sometimes it is fun to just pour and see what happens.
I teach this method now at our low-cost summer classes through the Mountain Arts Gallery. Students generally have a lot of fun, learn various techniques, and get to take a couple of their own creations home. The Mountain Arts Gallery also sponsors a class once a week for Mountain of Promise special needs program. I am honored to be one of the teachers in this program and very much enjoy coming up with new ways for them to explore art.
It has always been a dream of mine to be part of an artist collective, and another dream to live in a small mountain town. Seems my dreams have come true in Lake Arrowhead, where I continue to learn and explore.
It gets pretty messy...sometimes I'm inspired by the colors that end up on my hands!