A little Bit of History...
Even as a young girl I always knew I would one day become an artist. It's a rare & beautiful thing - to have such a strong sense of purpose so deeply grooved into one's identity.
Growing up I sketched and painted on every conceivable surface presented in front of me - my happiest moment when my parents allowed me to paint my entire bedroom with a colorful mural of birds and mountains, I was around 12 at the time.
My friends in high school begged me to sketch my little figure drawings into their Chandlers, and I never stopped drawing. Once in the university, I took any internship and work opportunity I could find - relentlessly scouring the job ads tacked on the boards in our placement office at Columbia college.
Working for a vinyl sign shop in Northbrook installing signage, teaming up from a pair of designers at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago creating graphics in Photoshop 3.0, and even being commissioned to create several large scale murals and public art, were all part of my varied work experience at the time.
My biggest moment came in 1998 when I was hired with a start-up in downtown Chicago creating custom webdesign and hand-coding my designs in html. I learned everything on the job, and strangely for me, discovered a geeky love for coding and building out complex websites for our clients.
It was an amazing time, we were creating for some of the biggest corporations in the world - I rode that wave for some amazing years.
Unfortunately in 2001 the dot-com market collapsed, and with that mass layoffs and some very sad times ahead. It was also the year 9/11 happened, and the year my father passed away suddenly from a lung condition. I was to be married exactly one year later. I had no job and much uncertainty.
Once an Artist, Always an Artist
I have lived a deep and multi-textured life, and everything in my past both good and bad has shaped me into a more balanced and stalwart person and ultimately the artist I find myself to be today.
The materials I create with resonates deeply within me. At times I am surprised that I intentionally chose this medium to work with at this point in my life, but at other times I'm not.
Everything I create is set with Intention and meaning.
Sometimes I find myself thinking this would be so much easier using a brush or pencils than laboriously setting tiny bits of pieces from jewelry and turning it into art. But que sera sera, I have found my medium, Sometimes the pieces of my designs speak to me, instinctively guiding my hand in the placement on my art, this is what I mean by creating by designs with intention - I found being open to this has made me a much more empathetic artist.
By taking pieces from our past, namely quality vintage jewelry, and making them beautiful and purposeful again, is the heart and soul of my Art.
Enjoy a collection of my favorite photos from recent events. You can see my mom usually accompanies me to my shows - she's been through everything with me, and I am so grateful to have her support and love.
Refining and growing
This past year has been an extremely busy year in all the best possible ways and through it all I continue to learn, refine and grow my process.
Visit my 2025 show schedule for my current show list.
Also peek back on my pages where I will be showing updates, works in progress and where you can find me at any given month.
At Home with the Artist
Two of my favorite photos which really show me in my element.
The first photo is of our beloved rescue pup, Stella, who has graced us with 9 of the most amazing years. Known to howl ridiculously loud every time we practice the piano (she loves it) and sleeping on her favorite place in the house, my fitness trampoline (which is now all hers) - she keeps my husband and I grounded & happy.
The next photo, taking a moment on Lake Michigan last summer - is where I am while not creating or teaching, and my home away from home, and where my inner soul smiles widest.
And yes, I do paddle year round. Ask me about it next time you see me.
Life is good :)
A final blurb about what keeps me keeping on - my yoga! I like to say without my yoga there would be no art and without my art there would be no yoga. If you feel like diving into another story - I invite you to come along ..
