BIOGRAPHY
All my life, animals and art have been two of my main loves. Dogs, cats, horses and a long list of other furry critters have been my companions on this journey, so I suppose, it's not surprising that I would combine them for my retirement career.
Though having to work for a living throughout most of my adult years, I always found time to draw and paint. I have run the gauntlet from oils, acrylics, pen and ink, oil pastels, sculpting, and now, settling on soft pastels and graphite as my two favorite mediums. Sculpting is something I would love to re-visit, but haven't found the time!
I received my diploma in Fine Arts at Langara College in Vancouver, BC, and have since taken many workshops and courses to enhance my abilities.
As a teenager and young adult, I mainly painted for my own pleasure, finding my creative passion in western style, cowboy and Indian scenes. My favorite artist was, and is, Charlie Russell. This passion often caused conflict, going to art school in the Pacific Northwest, where all students were directed more toward Emily Carr, Northwest Indian totem poles, and watercolors of sailing boats. Not quite my thing--but I prevailed!
As I got older, I discovered that the love I felt for my own animals is universal. I began to offer pet portraits, and got busy building my portfolio towards this end. I have now been doing portraits since 2005, and I have had much success with it. I have sold many commissions, not only locally, but throughout BC, Alberta, Colorado and California.
In 2013 I moved from Surrey, British Columbia down to Camano Island, Washington and fell in love with the dynamic artistic community here. I am a member of the Camano Artists' Association and The Guilded Gallery. I have been involved with The Women's' Expo, The Art By The Bay festival, and have had my art on display at the Camano Community Center, the Stanwood Library, and The Guilded Gallery.
I have also been accepted as a participating artist on the Mother's Day Studio Tour that encompasses part of Stanwood, and all of Camano Island. This is an exciting new step for me, as the tour is very popular and is expanding every year.
I am also returning to my early passion of Western art, and I am slowly building my portfolio for this ageless genre. My next showing goal is to be accepted into The Out West show that happens every spring in Great Falls, Montana. Very few new artists are accepted each year, but I will persist! Besides, every year that I don display there, is one more year to build and improve upon my portfolio!
I have also returned to another great love: writing western novels! I have been working on an epic for a number of years, and am getting ready to publish. More news on this, will be posted on my Writing Craft page, as it comes along.
On a more personal note, I am happily married (He's the reason I moved from Canada down to the US!), to a wonderful man (of course) who has been supportive of my creative endeavors in so many ways, even though he doesn't quite 'get' the creative personality. Still, he did marry one, so there must be some truth to the saying: opposites attract!
As for animals in my life, I don't have any in our home right now. I lost my cat, Milton, in 2015 and my dog, Karma, in 2016. Both to old age. I'm not ready yet, to bring another dog into my life. Karma was extra special and I don't want to rush things. I figure, the right dog will find me, when it's time. I do still have a horse. Monty, pictured above, is a ten year old Standardbred. He was too slow for the track, only winning one race in his one season career, so his owner donated him to Greener Pastures Standardbred Adoption Society, in Langley BC. I fell in love with him, and took him home. Obviously, all my animals moved down to the States along with me. I never leave anyone behind! Monty and I have been together now for eight years, and I couldn't ask for a better trail horse!
Life is good! I'm happy and doing what I have always loved to do, and I will keep on doing these things for as long as I am able!
ART MEDIUMS
I work primarily in Pastels and Graphite on art paper.