Rikki Drotar, on becoming an artist: I was born in southern Idaho but moved frequently throughout my life. My childhood saw the plains of Idaho and Wyoming, the Oregon coast, to the majestic desert of Arizona. Even spending a little amount of time in Pennsylvania and the eastern states. From each place I lived or visited, I would take in the rich beauty and diversity around me and try to create what I saw. For as long as I can remember I always had a pad of paper and pencil with me, drawing everything I could. Color always fascinated me, the way an artist could use color to create moods and life. So it wasn't surprising to find myself taking up painting in college. I studied Fine Art and Illustration at Utah State University before moving to Phoenix, Arizona, where I received a Bachelors of Arts in Media Arts and Animation from the Art Institute of Phoenix. While studying animation, my love of movement developed; I discovered that everything had an energy and flow, whether it was a human form or an inanimate object. I try to capture the flow and movement when I paint.