A Little About Me!

Yesterday, I posted over 20 paintings to show my journey as a pastel artist since May of 2011. Today, I’d like to briefly talk about how I even became an artist. As a young adult, I enjoyed playing with color. I purchased some acrylic paints and began painting lots of abstract works. At the time, although they were very different and people liked what I did, I didn’t feel very confident because, after all, they were just abstract paintings. I didn’t feel capable of painting anything representational. I wasn’t good enough.  I continued painting for pleasure and even selling my paintings out of a shopping bag that I carried around with me all the time.

As time went by I went to work for a large corporation and returned to college because of their compensation package. To my surprise, while taking some studio art classes, I discovered that with some instruction I was capable of doing more than just abstract work. I did manage to graduate with an Early Childhood Education and Studio Art Minor degree. I moved to Wisconsin in 1991 just after graduating and chose to set my interest in art aside. I did put my degree to good use by becoming a Kindergarten teacher and using my artistic talent with the very young.

Now fast forward to 2005. I retired from teaching and began searching for what to do with the rest of my life. Although I enjoyed painting, I for some reason I was still felt very insecure about my abilities as an artist. I was my worst critic. I attended many personal development seminars trying to find out what I might be good at. Well I guess it paid off. I came away from my fourth seminar believing I could do anything. I even got a commission to create a painting for someone at the last seminar I attended.

In the summer of 2007, I had my first gallery opening in my neighborhood at a local coffee shop and as a result of that opening sold 6 paintings. I began to immerse myself in painting and eventually joined artist organizations. I got involved with En Plein Air painting and entered into many events.

2008, 2009, 2010 - Cedarburg Cultural Center for Plein Air Competition

2008 - Oconomowoc Plein Air Competition

2009, 2010 – Wauwatosa Plein Air Competition

2010 – MAM Marketplace Tent Show

2010, 2011 – Art in Action – Annual Membership Show for Art Guild of Menomonee Falls

2011 - Pastel Society of Wisconsin/Underwood Photography Group at the One Way Cafe

2011 - Wauwatosa Artists Workshop Show at Clement Manor

September, 2011 - Bay View Art Guild's ARTiculate Show at the Art Bar

December 2011 - Art Bar – Small works 8” X 8” or smaller

Currently, I am a member of the following artist organizations:

Bay View Art Guild

Wauwatosa Artist Workshop

Wisconsin Pastel Artists

Art Guild of Menomonee Falls