Throughout my life, I have admired the medium of watercolor. Given a Kodak box camera at age 9, I developed a deep love for photography and nature. Once I entered the world of watercolor, my photos became the source of inspiration for many paintings. I’ve learned however, that some photos do not translate well and are best kept solely as photographs.

Typically, my paintings use bold color, contrasts and close-ups. My theory is you have to make mistakes to learn, mainly because watercolor is unforgiving. Some of my favorite pieces didn’t end up the way they were originally planned. With watercolor, you become very innovative in working around your mistakes! One of my favorite quotes I read somewhere is “If the horse your drawing looks more like a dog, make it a dog.”

I love the special camaraderie shared with fellow painters and am involved with an evening painting group New Century Artists, White Bear Center for the Arts, ArtReach St. Croix and various workshops and classes in the Twin Cities area. My home studio is in White Bear Lake, shared with partner Steve, as well as a lab/pointer and 17-year-old cat…both adopted from the Humane Society.