Beginnings Painting

My art education began as an adult in the Upper Valley of the Connecticut River on the Appalachian Trail, a “spiritual place” that nurtures the time, space and breath needed for aesthetic exploration. My mentor for eight years was Aidron Duckworth, PhD, sculptor, who had worked and taught all over the world. I completed a degree with the human figure as my focus followed by eight years of formal drawing and painting instruction. My final study, "When God Was a Man", was completed at Vermont College of Norwich University with a thesis and full gallery show. Through the years, I have been fortunate to be included in juried shows and galleries as we have moved around and traveled from east to west coast and back, Europe, Canada and Mexico. I have taught in public school, in business and privately. With life come first impressions, from birth to the end whether we honor them or not, they are a true thing about us. The control we have over them is questionable, even when we are trying to think about it. If I am true to it, my imagery will be honest, as the first time I glimpsed a thing. That is the challenge - to leave the essence with each stroke of the knife or brush. It's the reason we put so much stock in the images produced by children. There is no editorializing, no second guessing, just the first true thought or vision - no hint of everything going on at the time whether pleasing or excruciatingly mundane or tragic or sad. I have found over the years that I know in the moment, that which I will want to carry with me. I will want to see it again and feel and smell that moment again. Painting brings me back to it, looking and thinking, trying to prevent time from taking its toll. It is ​a process I will always love. I was born and raised on the beautiful coast of North Carolina and I'm happy to be back.