I grew up surrounded by acres of woods, and backpacks filled with books. As a precocious child of a homemaker, I learned to work with my hands and my imagination. Childhood set the stage for me to become a life-long maker, creator, and explorer. By constantly asking the question, “how do they do that?,” I have learned to cook, knit, sew, garden, preserve food, and finally I have made a deep-dive into painting, and I am now teaching others to tap into their creative, visual, and artistic selves.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts from St. Catherine University, and have had a varied professional work life. My professional artistic practice began with landscape painting, using multiple mediums including pastel, watercolor, egg tempera, and oil paint. I moved to Duluth to study at the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art to experience classical atelier training, and to deepen my skills in figure and still life.
Even more enjoyable than learning a new skill is sharing that knowledge with others. As an instructor of drawing and painting classes, I have developed summer camps, workshops, and day programs for youth and adults to help them learn technical skills and develop their creative selves. What better way to spend a day than lost in a creative pursuit?
I am a member of the Pastel Society of Colorado, and Outdoor Painters of Minnesota.