I’m so grateful that you took the time to visit my website.
This first blog post will give a snapshot into my life, my inspirations and my work. Bear with me as I embark upon this voyage – of taking my art and my business to the next level. Talking about myself has never come easy, it is much easier to do for someone else! As we get to know each other, I encourage you to join me in this journey of life. We have a wonderful family, grandchildren and raise cattle and sheep on a small place near Bosler, Wyoming. Working remotely as the Director of the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials allows me to schedule time for my art and life. It’s a perfect situation – I’m blessed.
So grab a cuppa and settle in for a bit while we get to know each other.
How did I get to this point?
As a young girl, growing up on a ranch in the Colorado mountains, I found my three passions for life: art, agriculture and the outdoors. The oldest of four 
daughters, we learned to live and work the land from our dad. We played, we tussled, explored, built forts, and grew up together. Rock piles, meadows and brush covered hillsides were our playgrounds. Here we learned to listen and to observe, to test our limits, to scrape our knees and to get right back up again. Mom and Dad taught us to love and respect all God’s creations. From Dad we learned to see the movement of a gentle spring breeze and to feel the warmth of the sun on a clear fall day. We came to know that true wealth is measured in the sunsets you share. He and Mom brought music, books, words and wonder into our lives. Those early years scripted my life – a narrative that guides me each and every day.
Art has always pivotal part of my life, the ballast that keeps me on track,
having learned from dad that mother nature’s canvas was one to embrace and enjoy. I was forever seeing a moment as one that I wanted to put to paint or pencil. Originally getting a degree in Animal Science from Colorado State, my art education was largely self-taught. Life took me to Cisco, Utah where my husband’s family had a large public lands ranch – I lived the old cowboy way and saw ranching from a different perspective than from what I grew up with. The challenges of running on public land eventually led us to Kaycee, Wyoming where we raised our children in that wonderful community. 20 years later, Dad was ailing so we moved Meeker to be with family. While there I spent a few years as a non-traditional student at the University of Wyoming where I immersed myself in art. There I found learned Intaglio Printmaking. It combines my love of drawing with opportunities for tonal and textural variations that lend emotive painterly qualities to the piece. It was a wonderful two years that I am forever grateful to have had.
Wyoming beckoned and back we went,
Wyoming pulled our at our heart and back we came.
After 10 years in Colorado, we found our way back to Wyoming. Now, enriched by chronicles of family and life, I am guided by my dream, make art and tell my story. I am limited by my obligations at home and work, but encouraged fully by family and friends. My exhibitions are limited to local galleries and shows that fit into my work schedule. Somewhere along the way, I developed a sideline of functional art. Much of what I did came out of my own needs. I started printing note cards because I needed to have some around the house. Then came floor cloths – a functional, pretty mat to use in my house and so on. I’ve developed a line of functional art that allows people to have artwork around them in their homes. Most of the work I do is original, it’s a great way for me to experiment with style and techniques and offers a practical alternative to paintings and prints. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to have been able to market most of the work I create. Those friends and customers have given me the confidence to continue on with my art.
I took a leap of faith about six months ago
and applied for a program presented by the Wyoming Women’s Business Council for Women Artists. It has been amazing and I’m now being held accountable to the dreams that have guided me thus far. What a wonderful organization! They provide a comforting support system and offer resources that help guide me along the way. “Yikes” I say when I sit down to write a blog post, or entertain the thought of creating a social media campaign. But I’m reassured that it will be fine and that all is well.
So, here we go – I’m launching my art business!
This is the first of what I hope to be numerous posts on life, stories, my work and my projects. It will come easier as I move forward, there will be stumbles and falls but fear not. I hope you can find time to join me as I share these moments and thoughts with you. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out with an idea, a question or a comment. So, there you have it in a nutshell – my beginning, my middle and now my present life as I embark upon a journey I’ve been preparing for my whole life. Thanks for joining me!
