"Forest Ribbons" Artwork

I am a contemporary painter working in acrylic and mixed media from my studio on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. My work explores landscape, symbolism, texture and atmosphere through animal portraiture, landscapes, abstracts and collage. While acrylic paint remains my primary medium, I often incorporate paper, gold foil, graphite and pen to build layers of texture and meaning.

My artwork is held in nearly 1,000 private collections and reflects more than a decade of professional studio practice.

My artistic journey began in 2013 in San Antonio, Texas, where I fell in love with painting pets in a Día de los Muertos style. Those early paintings were filled with bold color, decorative pattern and joyful symbolism inspired by the rich Mexican culture that influences so much of life there. I painted sugar-skull pets beneath starry skies, surrounded by flowers and meaningful symbols. The work connected with thousands of people looking for a joyful way to celebrate beloved animals, and those paintings became the foundation of my career.

Before becoming a full-time artist, I studied at the University of North Texas under Vincent Falsetta, Annette Lawrence and Ed Blackburn, all respected figures in the Texas art world. Their influence helped shape my understanding of composition, design and the discipline of maintaining a studio practice.

Although I began painting in oils, life eventually pushed me toward acrylics. During a period of frequent moves between Texas, Arkansas and Colorado, water-based paints simply made more sense. Acrylics allowed me to pack up and rebuild a studio quickly without managing solvents and the logistics that come with oil painting. What began as a practical decision eventually became my preferred medium.

When I moved to Colorado, my work evolved right along with me. My portraits gradually became more realistic and less stylized, while the landscapes outside my studio window began finding their way onto my canvases. I started painting the mountains, orchards, changing seasons and expansive skies of the North Fork Valley and beyond. These paintings became a way to hold onto the beauty I live among every day.

Over the years, my artwork has appeared on wine labels for Qutori Wines and 5680' Vineyards, and my mountain paintings have been featured in public spaces including the Great Room and library of Paonia schools. My work can also be found in public and private collections throughout Texas and Colorado.