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Who am I?
Isn't that a question we've all struggled with? We're all so much more than the label, but for now, simple labels will have to do.
I'm a mother, a clinical laboratory scientist, hematology specialist, and an artist. I'm even an occasional writer.
I have one short story published and some illustrations published in two charity anthologies. I'll have links to where to get those in my link section eventually.
As a child, I was always coloring (must stay in the lines!) and drawing. I didn't take any art classes until college and then only to have a break from all the science classes. For the record, I took beginning drawing, two pottery courses, and experimental jewelry.
Then I did nothing but an occasional pottery class for about five years.
During a period when I was suffering from depression, rather than take drugs, I turned to art. I found a class in an adult education setting and took up a brush. I chose acrylics, though now I can't tell you why that appealed over anything else. I was terrified of painting since my first love is and was graphite and I'd never really done anything seriously with pigments. Luckily I found that I picked it up quickly and with a rather odd little man who taught me (may Jack Smith rest in peace!), I developed as an artist. Most of my work was very detail-oriented and I still love doing that, but after Jack died, I found the class being taught by a wonderful watercolorist, Margaret (Maggie) McCarthy. Under her patient tutelage, I finally loosened up my style in watercolors. What a breakthrough! Now I'm experimenting with them in combinations of detail and loose. Hopefully some of those will actually be worth putting up for sale.
I do admit to dabbling in a variety of mediums. I have done several commissioned portraits in pastel. This was after taking a class from Loretta Feeback who set up a still life of onions and a white vase on a white backdrop and then told us to 'see the colors'. What a wild ride that was! If I find that piece, I'll have to get a picture of it up here. I learned from pastels that color isn't just on the surface, but rises up from beneath an object as well.
Before I bore you any further, I will close with one last thing about myself: I'm a woodcarver and pyrographer (woodburning). I did my first woodcarving show and won two ribbons at it, one with my own design. Working in 3D is a lot tougher than making a 2D piece look three-dimensional, but even this medium adds to my knowledge and I pull on it as well for my paintings.
Thank you for making it this far and I hope you weren't too bored!
Member of the Northland Art League, Kansas City, Missouri
Member of the Kansas City Wood Carvers Club
Member of the National Wood Carvers Association
Member of the Northland Exposure Artists' Gallery
Best of Show, 2010 Martha Lafite Nature Center Art and Photography show
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