My Story

Faith, family, friends and teachers shaped the person I am today. I was born in Great Bend, Kansas. The farm pictured above is where I grew up. I have wonderful memories of the time I grew up on this wide expanse of land with glorious blue skies.

 

Living on the farm, nearly everything came from the land and was handmade. My mom was a homemaker and my dad farmed. My parents lived their Catholic faith and led by example allowing each of us to flourish. My sisters and brother each had talents that took us in different directions. Our parents gave us a foundation to build upon. "Do your best" was all they asked.

 

After high school, I attended Barton Community College in Great Bend and earned an Associate in Arts degree. Then I transferred to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. I'm sure my roommates felt they lived in an art studio, but we survived! Two years later, I graduated with my BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration. A few weeks after graduation I landed a job as a graphic designer and headed to Kansas City. After three years, I moved back to Great Bend to work as a graphic designer for Barton Community College. I continue to work remotely for Barton, from Indiana. 

 

I typically paint florals and landscapes because they are really a large part of who I am. They remind me of my parents; what they loved and worked for. They remind me that God is the creator and we are the creatures. Dad always told us all we have comes from Him.

 

I really enjoy building layers of color to reveal the subject matter. I relax in the tedious process of creating detail. Influenced by the big Kansas sky, I am drawn to vivid, colorful subjects that are dappled in light and shadow. I love to capture moments in time, especially how light strikes a subject. And if I'm lucky, I've captured a memory. Maybe mine, maybe yours.