The Artist’s Biography

Art classes in high school started my lifelong interest in various types of art. Through the years, I visited many museums wherever I went and talked with artists at every opportunity. My creative outlets were in many forms: Needlework, knitting, sewing, photography, and even stepping stones. It was not until 2007 that I returned to painting and, with much encouragement from Margaret Nevill at The Mad Platter in Columbia, SC, and began to offer my work to others. In 2008, I began oil painting and found another very satisfying medium, thanks to teachers Khaldoune Bencheikh and Mary Hartfield. The techniques I learned from all 3 of these teachers and mentors have been applied to my painting on bisque.

Each project is of particular interest, although some have become a once-in-a-lifetime effort. They will never be repeated! For example, it took me several months to complete a ceramic plate of a rose window with 8 repeated sections on a plate that was not truly round. I am particularly inspired by nature. One of my high school paintings of a tree in winter was selected to hang in the Boston Museum of Art; my latest oil painting included 3 winter trees.

My paintings of flowers seem to attract particular attention. I am fortunate to live near an orchid farm, and the photographs from which I work include some unique plants. In some instances, I grow the flowers (Echinacea, Confederate Rose), and then work from my photographs. Nature offers so many incredible shapes and colors that it provides a never-ending supply of ideas for paintings.

My custom work includes paintings of people’s houses and landscapes. In this case, I work from digital photographs, sometimes combining photos to get just the right view.