As a Missouri native nestled in wooded acres close to the heart of Kansas City, I'm drawn to both the calm of nature and the energy of city life. Throughout my younger years, I found myself intrigued with art and looked forward to taking any art classes I could. One such class was from a local artist who offered private lessons in her home, where I studied highly detailed realism with acrylic. When it was time to choose a career path, the idea of continuing with art on a professional level seemed almost irresponsible, and too good to be true. So, I went into allied health until my first child was born, after which I became a stay at home mom. Though I kept busy raising children, painting and studying art always seemed to find a way into my schedule. Once a few of my paintings were hung and sold in a local shop, I began to see my hobby as something more. Inspired by the way light moves, unique color combinations and painterly marks, I aim to incorporate these elements into representational paintings that play an interesting balance of realism and loose expressionism.