Be Still Painting

The artistic gene runs rampant through my family line. My great grandmother designed hats in Atlanta in the 1900's. My grandmother used to climb to the top of Stone Mountain Georgia with her easel to paint the landscape below. She became an outstanding porcelain painter and loved to paint portraits. When I would visit her as a child, she taught me how to china paint Limoges boxes, sew, and even cook. My mother followed in her footsteps and taught art, art history, and then her passion, photography. I was so blessed to have these women as mentors and teachers growing up! As a child, I was always amazed by the colors, designs and patterns in nature. I noticed the way the wind turned green during a tornado when I watched from our basement window. I remember the pine trees my father planted along the hill against the radiant orange and purple sky before bedtime. I spent my childhood making flower crowns and playing under willow trees all day until I realized I had forgotten to go home for lunch. Nature was my art studio. I had no idea that I had artistic abilities, until high school. My art teacher saw something in me, and encouraged me daily. I was offered a couple of Art Scholarships to college and chose a small school near my grandmother. Two years into my major, I changed schools and went into Art Education. My father was very happy, because teaching meant I would have insurance, retirement and I was able to live at home. I taught for several years, but never had the chance to be an artist. I sold my work in stores on the side, but never full time. In 1997 I married the only man that had ever completely understood who I was and loved me flaws and all. Seven years later we were blessed with two precious children, a boy then a girl. My kids are often my inspirations. I'm hoping the artist gene will continue to pass on through our bloodline for years to come. My goal in creating each piece is to stir one's emotions. To remind us of places, memories, a song, a moment in time that we all keep buried in our past. To create a connection between the viewer and the work that's magnetic. I nurture each piece until I feel it's emotionally whole. Sometimes all it needs is one more brush stroke ,to speak to someone. Art is very personal and if you truly love it, you understand. Sometimes parting with my work is sad, but it's always worth it if the buyer is in love.