Portraying Landscapes in Pastel

      Although a native of Richmond, Virginia, I have spent all of my adult life in Texas.  I have been living in the Austin area since 1995.  Primarily a self-taught artist, there have been many art courses that have  improved and inspired my work from Collin County Community College in  Plano and the Alfred Glassell Art School in Houston.  Workshops with artists, such as Bob Rohm, Susan Ogilvie, Colleen Howe, Denise Mahlke, and Steve Napper have all had an influence on my approach to landscape painting.  
      I had been working in oils for many years and in 2002 discovered pastels, which have increasingly captivated my attention.  So much so, that I have been concentrating primarily on pastels .  Regardless of the medium I choose, the world of nature continues to be my strongest inspiration.  The vast open spaces and big skies of west Texas and the mystical mountain ranges of New Mexico have always had a tremendous pull on me. 
        Capturing the vanishing landscapes of areas near my home in central Texas that are being destroyed due to urbanization is also an important theme for me.  It is always exhilarating to experience the grand landscapes of the west but I am also drawn to the scenes that surround us in our everyday life.  Through my paintings, I strive to preserve the beauty of the wild, undeveloped land which seems to be  rapidly disappearing.
        Certain weather conditions and their effect on the landscape create internal moods, which are a source of exploration for me as well.  I continually find myself drawn to fog and thunder storms. I like the mystery that fog conditions inspire and the power and sense of change in the air that thunder storms generate.     
        Recently, I started working on themes involving roads, particularly in west Texas.  These rural roads capture feelings of wanderlust as well as portraying an internal searching. I believe when we examine what draws us to a particular painting, whether as the artist or viewer, we can often find clues to our own thoughts and desires. 

 Art Organizations

Austin Pastel Society

Central Texas Pastel Society
        Exhibit Chair 2003-2006
        President 2005 - 2008
        Program Chair 2008 - present 

  
Shows and Exhibitions

River Art Show and Festival at La Villita in San Antonio, TX - Oct. 2009  

Central Texas Pastel Society Exhibition and Competition, Temple, TX - Aug. 2009
      Won Best of Show for "Silo Gathering" 

"What Texas Means to Me" Art Show, Austin, TX - July 2009 

10th Annual Fayetteville Art Walk, Fayetteville, TX -May 2009

Take 190 West Art Show, Killeen, TX - Feb. 2009

Austin Museum of Art's Laguna Gloria Holiday Show - Dec.2008

"Texas Wild Bunch" Professional Artist's Show in Kerrville, TX,  invited artist - Feb. 2008

Austin Museum of Art's Laguna Gloria Holiday Show - Dec. 2007         

Solo Show at Lady Bird Johnson's Wildflower Center - June 2007

Lady Bird Johnson's Wildflower HolidayShow - Dec. 2006

Art in the Park Georgetown, TX - June 2006

Austin's Artist Harvest Facet Show
Invited artist - March 2006
Juried artist - March 2005

Art Walk in Georgetown, TX
Invited artist - Oct. 2005
Juried artist - Oct. 2004

Wildflower Art Show in Salado, TX
Invited artist - April 2005
Juried artist - April 2004

Critique Circle Art Show at Great Hills Gallery, Austin, TX
Member show - Nov. 2004

Gallery Representation

Golden Bough Art & Antiques
        Georgetown, TX  2004 - 2005
Fiesta Gallery
        Fredericksburg, TX 2006 - 2007 
Art Divas Art Gallery
         Taos, New Mexico 2008 
Gallery at Round Top 2009 - present
         Round Top, TX