When I began
recording my experiences, it seemed that I had lived several
lives. I was born in Durango, Colorado where I attended
Fort Lewis College. Upon graduation, I took a teaching job
on the Navajo Reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. The area
around Kayenta, including Monument Valley, became a four-wheel
drive playground, and I spent many weekends in the immensity
of the redrock desert of the Four Corners. There is a spiritual
presence there, and I feel fortunate to have experienced
the land and the people.
After
four years, I went back to Fort Lewis College to attain
a second teaching degree. There I met my husband, Brian.
We returned to Kayenta, and I began to seriously draw and
paint the land that inspired my heart. Four years later,
we moved to Denver, Colorado so that Brian could pursue
a degree in Architecture. We had just welcomed our daughter,
Rosalyn, into the world, so I stayed home and painted. I
became a member of Drawing Room Gallery Artist's Cooperative
near Boulder, and concentrated on painting the beloved desert
landscape which I had left behind, but which was always
in my mind's eye.
Two years later
we moved to Arlington, Texas to be closer to family and
so Brian could complete his degree. Shortly after the birth
of our son, Evan, we moved to Oahu, Hawaii, where we lived
for four wonderful years. There I was able to focus on painting
and drawing.
In 1995, my husband
was offered a job as project manager for the new airport
in Austin, Texas. After the move, I joined Austin Visual
Arts Association and was a board member for three years.
I became chairperson and a curator for the AVAANTI 10 competition.
My work was featured at Escape Artisan's Gallery in Georgetown,
and I participated in juried shows and exhibitions.
Throughout all
of my many transitions, my artwork has been my thread of
continuity: my lifeline. I have recorded my life's journey
in my paintings and drawings and know with certainty that
I will always paint. I will always be connected through
my love of the creative process and this beautiful world.
