I didn’t start off as a painter, but now it is a part of me; who I was meant to be. As a teenager and young adult, I was always interested in artistic projects. Whether it was flower arranging, crafts, or interior decorating, I was at my best when I was creating. Painting came later as I developed an interest in other artists. I could spend hours upon hours in various galleries. One time in Las Vegas, I discovered Pino and became mesmerized. After staring and studying one painting for over an hour, the curator, feeling concerned for me, offered to bring me a chair. That is when it all began. That is the moment I felt called to paint. I consider myself mostly self-taught, through trial and error, but I give Al Kogel much credit for introducing me to color and for his inspired critiques of my work. Studying the work of other artists has been a valuable tool as well. I have purchased many other artists’ paintings to study and learn from and to serve as inspiration for my own work. My style could be classified as romantic. I like to use vivid colors, while maintaining a soft approachability. My goal is moving into a more contemporary impressionistic style. I love to paint people, especially women and children. My intent is to capture a moment, an emotion, in time that will influence the viewer to wonder about what the subject is thinking or feeling. I was raised in Tucson, AZ, where most of my family still resides. My wonderful husband and I, along with our two children, have lived in Sierra Vista, AZ since 1983. My daughter, Amanda, is also an artist! I assist her in creating her abstracts.