Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up on a farm in Eastern Iowa and have since lived in Oregon, Colorado and California, recently settling back into my mid-west roots in Chicago. I moved across the country with my California-raised husband and our 2 cats, Zeus and Danger. I studied painting and graphic design in Denver, eventually graduating with a BFA in Communication Design and a minor in marketing. I work full time as a Creative Director for a presentation design firm and spend much of my free time in my art studio. I’ve always had a strong passion for anything creative and knew from a very young age that this is something I would be doing for the rest of my life.
What kind of art do you create?
The type of art I create is ever evolving, but ultimately it circles back to abstract painting in one form or another. I love experimenting with new surfaces to paint on, mixed media and incorporating inspiration sparked from surrounding artists. Currently I’m working on a new series that uses white space as a design element, and I’m loving it! In the past my aesthetic was to cover the entire surface with paint and add layers on top of layers. This new style is a complete contradiction of that and requires planning and patience, which is something that doesn’t come naturally to me. I always see painting as a fun challenge and love what I learn about the art form and myself through the process.
How did you get started?
Art is not only something I’ve consistently gravitated towards, but something others have always encouraged me to pursue as well. When choosing a major in college it was a no-brainer that I would chose something that allowed me to create everyday. Working in the field of graphic design has taught me a lot about art as it pertains to layout and composition. While my work on the computer doesn’t directly mimic what you see in my paintings, elements of both are reflected in each other.
How would you describe your artistic style?
My artistic style is grungy but minimalist. Being a graphic designer my brain tends to want things in order and clean, but when I paint I want to get messy and have fun. I used to think I had to turn off the switch of working in a grid when I stepped into my art studio, but eventually realized that both concepts can co-exist in one painting. I would say my paintings can be a little chaotic and grungy with an underlying sense of lightness and control.
