My journey as an artist has taken me on a path of exploration, both geographically and artistically.

After high school, I set off to see the country in a 1965 VW Microbus. Perhaps its top cruising speed of 51 mph was when I first began to slow down and really look at things around me. My money ran out in Green River, Utah and soon I was hooked by this harsh yet beautiful land of wide open spaces and impossibly blue skies. Utah has been my home ever since.

Moving to Moab, Utah in 1996 was a turning point in my artistic journey. I found myself in a place which, twenty-five  years later, still provides endless inspiration. When a storm moves in, with its exciting clouds and light, I grab my camera or my pastels, and head out to be part of it. Hours spent hiking and cloud-watching may not immediately result in a painting, but they are threads running through the fabric of my creations.

Taking a pastel class in 2008, combined with living in Moab,  provided the “perfect storm” of artistic inspiration. I found the medium that finally allowed me to express myself in the way I’d been trying to. Pastel’s immediacy, vibrant colors, and its tactile approach, with the ability to place pigment directly on paper, are among the reasons for my love of the medium. During the past year, I have also been exploring mixed media and the texture it brings to my work.