I create mixed media landscapes that use meticulously collected paper collage pieces including maps, newspaper, photos, symbols, menus, and more.  These pieces are arranged and glued down in a thoughtful design to explore how I "see" and experience the nature around me and the God who made it.  Once sealed, I use thin layers of oil paint to create the landscape image which at times cloaks the collage and at others, accentuates it and gives it new meaning.  My painting process is a visual journal of my journey and how I relate to the world around me.   

The landscape images I choose to paint are always connected to me in either an experiential fashion and/or emotive.  They are quiet, contemplative sanctuaries where I find purpose, meaning and most of all, love.  

Born in Philly, raised in Baltimore, and now living in the idyllic countryside of Chester County, PA.  I am a contemporary realist painter and jewelry artist. Creating has always been a huge part of my life from a very young age. I would spend endless hours drawing, sewing, baking and generally immerse myself in some form of craft. My mom supported my interests and enrolled me in ballet and art classes. The ballet didn't last but the art studio was my happy place. I would walk into the studio and immediately feel at home. But my world was rocked at the age of 13, after my dad was killed in a very tragic car accident. I questioned how life could be so cruel for my family. I found solace and comfort in painting. So that's what I did. There's so much more to my story, but I have to say that art has healing powers not only for the artist, but for those that appreciate the value of what artists create. 

I obtained an undergraduate degree in Studio Arts from Towson State University and an MA degree from the University of the Arts. For over a decade I taught art and design courses at the community college level and graduate courses in the Museum Studies Graduate program at UArts. I have worked as an art conservation technician at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in objects and textiles, a freelance graphic designer for non-profit organizations and exhibition design. My exhibition and graphic design work can be seen in two permanent exhibits at the Academy of Natural Sciences, as well as many projects with Rutgers University and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

There was a long period of time when painting and art were not a part of my life. Divorce, raising kids, and economic survival took center stage. In 1996, life took a turn and I was able to dust off my brushes and paint again.  A workshop in 1999 turned my "painter" world around and I became intrigued to learn and study the "Hensche" method,  an approach to light, color, and shape that was taught by Henry Hensche of the Cape Cod School of Art.  Over the years I've had the pleasure of taking countless workshops with very notable artists that I admire. Most recently she has mentored and studied with the following distinguished artists; Anne Blair Brown, Nashville TN; Lori Putnam, Nashville TN; Sarah Sedwick, Eugene OR, and Natalie Italiano of Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. 

I create realistic acrylic paintings of small objects. Using grayscale and pops of color, I draw attention to the uniqueness of ordinary items. My work encourages you to notice the details of everyday life and appreciate what each individual brings to the whole.

My paintings are as much about people as they are about the objects themselves. Each of us brings our unique self to the world, comprised of all our experiences, abilities, and challenges. I hope my work serves as a reminder to celebrate the things that differentiate you, because we all have something important to offer. 

My career is in the building industry, so don't be surprised if you see some elements of architecture and construction in my paintings!

In space, no one can hear you (or your kids) scream.

I find space so calming, perhaps because there's no sound associated with it. But it's also exciting with endless possibilities.

Cats are the same - playful and prone to napping.

I'm Angi Beauheim, a watercolor and small-scale metal artist, located in Loveland, Colorado. My work uses traditional techniques and stylized images in a way that I hope will add a smile to your day. 

Enjoy the colors and calming mood, or imagine the untold adventures that await these cats. Be soothed or scintillated.

There's space for everyone.

 I find leading a balanced life challenging. Nature is the best medicine for me.  When I am outside, I breathe the air, feel the sun and am totally in the moment. My landscapes recapture those feelings of harmony and peace and are gentle reminders to take time for yourself.  Glowing light, rich color and texture invite you into places where you can pause, take a deep breath and savor the moment. 

Favorite places of inspiration include the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the New Jersey Shore, the Brandywine River Valley, Hudson, New York and Maine or anyplace that can be seen from my kayak or while hiking.

 Pastel is my medium and I have been working with it for over 30 years. I love its immediacy, and vibrant color. 

I have raised three amazing humans, am nuts about two grandchildren and maintain good relationships with all my nine siblings. My husband of 40 years is still my best friend. Over the years I have worked in the counseling/social work and arts administration fields. Family has always been my priority. 

I paint at my studio, Aston Mills Arts, outside of Philadelphia and am open by appointment throughout the year.

I grew up in South Louisiana surrounded by animals, and as kids we spent our days riding horses and playing in fields. As I got older, and my interests diverged from that of my family’s, I began to find solace in the company of animals. Being with them was often the only place I felt accepted – a feeling that I find often still rings true today. I choose them as my subjects because they accept us exactly as we are. They are there for us no matter what and always give of themselves wholely.  I find our pets to be great teachers - they can teach us the value of teamwork, the comfort of just sitting with the one you love, and the joy of living life as it comes. I strive to convey these ideas in my work and through my connection with animals, find greater connection with humans.

From a technical standpoint, each of my works begin with gathering reference, visual and informational, to planning the layout with at times intricate patterns of my own design. All in an effort to weave together typography, modern aesthetic design and color usage, with the main subject. Is strive to reach the technical level of some of the old masters with my subjects while combining that with more contemporary backgrounds.

I am an observer and absorber of nature’s ever changing shape, colour and texture; filling my heart and mind with the earth’s stories to release into the layers of my paper collages.
Subtle textures, deeply saturated colour and sweeping lines evoke movement and change in my abstracted landscapes.  The composition is pared down to pull the viewer into the scene where layers of detail and natural texture allow for personal connection and remembrance of our shared natural world.  The story of our world is always evolving.
There are hidden stories and forces at work in every scene we gaze at.  Geology, climate and human history are moving and shaping the layers of our world at every moment.  Layer in your own story and celebrate this world along with me.

If not today, then When?

If you see a broken seashell, and feel sad for it; if being in a forest, surrounded by tall, majestic trees makes you feel like you're in a place of worship; if you see something old, and it makes you wonder about its past life and the people who owned it, then, you understand my art.

As an artist, I feel an urgency to capture the essence and energy of my subjects before they change. It is on my canvas where I can make  flowers live forever and summers to never end.

I'm an avid outdoor painter, only coming into the studio when the New Jersey winter gets too cold. Then, I work on my still lifes, which I love as well.

Besides painting, I love to run, to take my German Shepard dog for walks, and tend to my garden.  But most important is spending time with my family, being of help to them in any way I can.

I am a chef in the Caribbean on a yacht for half of the year and I live in beautiful Lake Tahoe, CA the other half. I grew up in Philadelphia and Virginia and get back to see my family as much as possible but all of these places are a huge inspiration for my collages. Ocean scenes, bears, feature films and Ben Franklin are among my favorite subjects!

My mother is an artist so I was able to grow up playing with all of her art supplies and witness what was possible. I received a National art award in high school that lead to receiving Marion-Ebertt Wholle Scholarship to get my Fine Art Degree in college. I discovered collage after college and fell in love with cutting up paper..who knew. I've been showing my work, mainly in Philadelphia for over 15 years and moved out west after being accepted into the Artist Residency Program at the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona where I wrote and illustrated a children's book (stay tuned!). My work is sold in Galleries in Lake Tahoe and the British Virgin Islands but join in on my mailing list to get first dibs on my latest collections. Thanks for stopping by and I am so excited to share these minis with you!

Family, traditions, and that sense of belonging are depicted throughout my work as I use bold brushstrokes in oils to create still-life paintings that inspire a universal feeling of nostalgia. In the personal beginnings of selected objects, there is something that resonates with the stories and memories they evoke... this connection binds us all, across time.

I am An Artist living in Wyoming... A mother of 5 incredible humans (and now a Gigi to one... SQUEAL! )... A Geek at heart... A caffeine-dependent life form.

A human... Being.

I am a representational oil painter, preferring to paint from life. Mixing and manipulating oil paint and maintaining a state of flow, I delve into the process to capture the light, form and color of people, places, and things. I love contrast and color. Painting for me is in finding the solution and leaving out the unnecessary details. 

I was born and raised in New Rochelle, NY. My father was an artist and advertising executive who had a strong influence on me, and my art. 

There was a time in my life when I felt the burden and stress from trying to do everything. We put impossible demands on ourselves and then feel frustrated and less than when we fail to get it all done. I know now, we are all worthy and you simply don't have to do it all.  

My journey has been to simplify the complicated and be happy by leaving some things undone.

I paint any subject matter that prompts me to pause and recollect even the smallest of joys in my life that, in reality, are not so small.

Take the golf ball for example. In returning to the game more regularly this year, I found it interesting how such a small ball can “drive” many moments of fun and discovery. My collection for this year's 25 Days of Minis is titled, "Lies and Distractions" offering a visual, and sometimes humorous narrative of familiar lies and beautiful distractions.

I illustrate the innate value of every person through the beauty of creation, places, and especially of the human face and form. I use cast-off treasures like paper scraps, bible scripture, typography, stamps, handwriting, parts of old photos and other embellishments, with highly-rendered main subjects to make a new creation which emphasizes the hope of redemption and new life from discarded things. The result is a one-of-a-kind painting.

Every person is important, created for a purpose in this life. Everyone has gifts, talents, a story. That mixture of the innate and experiential—good and bad experiences—makes a unique, special and beautiful person, loved by our Creator.

Like people, my work has many layers of detail, and stories that whisper just below the surface. With the current clashes of hatred and violence between people in this world, if I can show the value and treasured identity of human beings and what we were created to be, maybe I can encourage people to think about their neighbor differently, and with love and hope.

I prefer to work with acrylic and mixed media, sometimes incorporating materials, such as paper, making some of the pieces partially a collage. My work is abstract and done intuitively, often seeming to grow on its own as the painting progresses. I work through layering until I reach a pleasing composition and color story. Although I did 3-dimensional art since childhood, including metal smithing, jewelry, glass working, felt and interior design, I have only been painting since 2020. 

“The art in my soul has always been a driving force behind everything that I do. To me, art is like a dear friend helping and guiding me through the challenges in life.”

Cynthia is an artist deeply rooted in the abundant richness and grounding beauty of nature. Her work captures the balance and essence of the natural world, transforming it into pieces that speak to life's simple and profound moments. Alongside her art, Cynthia runs a boutique branding agency based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where she passionately infuses nature's narratives into modern brand design. Whether through a canvas that tells a story or a brand identity that resonates, her creations echo a harmonious blend of art and intention. When she's not creating, you can find Cynthia cherishing moments with her family, enjoying a warm fire, or traversing the local landscape.

I see the world as being full of magic moments of intense color vibration and pulsating energy. By exploring, observing, examining, and experiencing everything around me, I have developed a true appreciation for the natural world. I take in my subjects and react to them with bold color and expressive marks. Those magic moments in life are fleeting, and I try to record that experience for the viewer.

It is my intention that when viewers encounter my work, they may see in new ways. Hopefully, they will stop rushing about their daily busyness, get outside, and take time to really LOOK and rediscover. They may come to see that there is more to life and the world than they presently know, and this can help them to live a fuller existence. 

My Rain and Shine oil painting series is based on photos combined as a play between reality and abstraction. Influenced by the Bokeh effect of the blur created by out of focus images, I've spent many a rainy day photographing the world through my windshield as an inspiration for my rain paintings.

Water and light combine to create a sense of peace and momentum.

Growing up in the city of Philadelphia, drawing chalk animals in the street, especially horses, I am drawn to gesture and movement in all living things.  You can recognize a person or an animal just from the tilt of their head or shift of their weight.  All living beings have this identifiable quality.  I love capturing this quality in my paintings.

I want to paint the uniqueness of any subject, figures, animals or still life. When I look at someone or something there is a certain moment that captures my imagination and inspires me to capture that in paint. There is something about shape and color that I love.  Mixing up paint and pushing it around on a surface is sooo satisfying.

I am a lifelong student studying this art passion that possesses me.  There is so much to see and discover and share.  Painting at the easel is such a joy and time goes by quickly.

Speaking in the visual language of the subconscious, I represent the unobserved. My paintings and paperworks are slow, love letters that invite you to stay awhile.  

Epic moments pregnant with an explosive stillness shimmer into being. This abundant, quantum soup of entanglement chronicles the tug-of-war between the known and the unknown.

Such ethereal works yearn for a solid foundation. With a nod to the ancestors, the work begins with a formalist approach and might include oils, linen, copper nails and/or handmade paper. Next, conflicting materials and their quarrels elevate my work into the realm of whimsy; suggesting that nothing is truly opposed.

I am a life-long 'maker', working professionally as an architect, and dreaming of becoming an artist.  I have been a creative within the natural world in the forms of fine arts, design, and architecture for as long as I can remember.  Taking inspiration from nature and my own sense of adventure, I am passionate about ecological conservation, design and construction, finding the beauty in difficult circumstances, and celebrating the light that inevitably shines after the storm passes.  I am also a wife, mom to two little ones,  a USCG boat captain, and bit of a wild card.

In working with the encaustic medium, I am able to create paintings that suggest depth, dimension, and luminosity. The wax is malleable and somewhat unpredictable in the way it lays down on my board, is reheated, scraped back, and then built upon.... revealing layers that you didn't see at first glance.

The architect in me loves 'building' the painting, creating a three dimensional piece that tells a story. The artist in me loves the freedom that working with this medium provides. It forces me to let go of control and be open to possibility.

To go on an adventure with each painting.

I discovered how much I loved drawing animals with charcoal in 2020 and have been drawing them ever since! Sweet, swift, naughty, pesky, cheeky, noisy, sleepy…the animal kingdom provides endless possibilities for my vine charcoal drawings.

Animals unapologetically do their thing. Uninhibited and unselfconscious in every way, they are my absolutely favorite subject matter. Whether it is a hungry little fledgling demanding food from Mama bird or a pesky chipmunk waiting for a perfect moment to nibble on someones garden, their expressions are 100%  authentic - I love to explore their antics and their expressions and charcoal lends a lovely expressive warmth to each drawing.

I hope my art and my story encourages others to find their "thing" and pursue it enthusiastically. I feel so fortunate to be on this artistic journey where I  get to share a little beauty and joy with my animal drawings 

I am originally from Dublin, Ireland and live on Boston’s North Shore with family and, of course, several pets.

I have been making paintings of domestic spaces for over a decade - they present the opportunity to paint geometric and organic shapes, as well as patterns. 

After completing my MFA, I taught at a collegiate level and received several national grants for my work with a community driven art installation which I launched in 2013.

Now I focus exclusively on my personal studio practice.  Although it is a full time endeavor, I continue to keep a part time job with a local independent bookstore.  Connecting people with books is one of the most important contributions I can make as a citizen of the world.

These days, I live and work in Pennsylvania with my husband and young son.

Introspection leads to personal transformation. Reflecting on our internal journey, asking ourselves honest questions, pondering over our life experiences, is an integral part of our growth process. A deep connection is made with the Self where we attain a greater understanding of who we really are. We know it is a difficult process but the self-confidence and self-growth that we experience afterwards and the transformation we sense within ourselves, changes everything around us. A new us is born.

Art has been transformative for me. There is a lightness of being after every artwork I create. I feel like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon.

Before I start to paint, I tend to close my eyes to process what the soul is experiencing. The feelings and emotions then flow onto the substrate in forms of lines, deep marks, colours, forms, faces and figures, each telling a universal story of life, its experiences, of fears, triumphs, love, loss, happiness, all the qualities that make us human.

Landscape painting enables me to combine my love of the outdoors with my need to make art. My work is representational, illustrative; but I choose not to capture a precise likeness or rendering. Instead, I respond to an idea inspired by what I see and how it appears to me. I compose the elements of the picture into the shape of the canvas, moving or adjusting them to what feels right. I use color, light, and texture to support the central idea that expresses what I am thinking and feeling. I strive to capture the whole of my experience on the canvas and share it with you.

Six years ago, my daughter introduced me to Natural Lands’ Stroud Preserve. Stroud boasts 570 acres of open fields, woods, and rolling hills a few miles from my studio in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It is a beautiful place to wander and enjoy the out-of-doors. It is also convenient, quickly accessible when weather conditions or a promising sunrise or sunset seems likely to occur. Over time and with each successive visit, I began to see Stroud in motion, as it moved through the seasons in our journey round the sun.

I became captivated with the constantly changing light and color of the landscape. The soft light of morning, the brilliance of a sunny afternoon, and the warm, orange glow of sunset change with the temperature of the air. The hilly terrain and the contrast between open fields and woods all reflect the changing light differently.  And then there is the Brandywine creek that meanders through the landscape with clusters of trees and thick undergrowth along its banks. I saw paintings everywhere I looked.

My experience has inspired a larger project; “A Year at Stroud.” I’ve begun the creation of a body of work that tells the story of how I see this place and why it has become so meaningful to me. I also realized that this experience is a gift from Natural Lands. It made me feel grateful to them for providing this beautiful place for all of us to experience and enjoy the beauty of our home.

It is in that spirit, I have pledged to donate 10% of the proceeds from my paintings and prints to support their important work in preserving open space for the benefit of future generations.

 "The stroke is just like the artist at the time he makes it. All the certainties, all the uncertainties, all the bigness of his spirit and all the littlenesses are in it." ~Robert Henri

I am a painter and art teacher residing in Chester County Pennsylvania. I have always known I was an artist for as long as I can remember.
I paint for the palpable pleasure of touching brush to canvas, the joy of color, the lushness of paint itself and its ability to describe how I’m feeling.
My studio is filled with some of my favorite things: flowers, vases, vintage dishes, animal figurines and most of the time my dog, Willow.

Painting is romantic and it’s sensual, it allows me to connect to and be with a variety of feelings including bliss, harmony, contentedness and sometimes sorrow and melancholy.  It makes me ache either way and I am addicted to those feelings for they are the ones that let me know how much I love being alive and connected to others, whether in pain or joy.
My paintings are my love letters to life. They say what I have no words for..... I feel incredibly lucky to be a painter. 
I am a graduate of Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia Pa and hold a BFA and M. Art Ed. 
 

My series of images in this year’s "25 Days of Minis" is all about the season of giving. They showcase the human love of giving, and specifically giving things made or grown by the giver or others. They are kind of double-love paintings! 

I paint realistic images that reflect a mix of human and natural elements working together harmoniously. I was a shy child with few words, I wandered my world with wonder and was a great observer of people and things. My dream was always to paint these experiences. 

Much of my activity is still creative, solitary and overlaid with a fascination for watching people. I love how they look, the things they do, and enjoy their games and conversations. I am fulfilling my dream of expressing in my paintings these interactions among people, between people and their environment, and the ways people live their dreams.

Gift-giving is a wonderfully expressive thing that people do! Gifts burst with meaning whether they are hand-made, freshly picked, pop culture favorites, or luxury models. Thought goes into them, sharing happens around them, and trickles of pleasure follow for both the giver and receiver. We dream of offering the perfect gift. Gifts form a connection that lives on. A gift will always remind the receiver of the giver.

My gift to you is that my paintings are reminders to live for fun, and always hold on to your dreams!

My artwork turns blank panels into treasures that express my unique personality: a little crazy, a lot of fun, mostly bright and happy. 

I get quiet with paint and brushes and listen for that small inner voice--sometimes no more than a gentle nudge, sometimes loud and forceful. I do whatever it says, my mind observing rather than directing. I paint until I the voice shouts, “Stop!” 

Some paintings happen all at once; others take years of tinkering. It makes no difference; I love them all in the end.  

I offer my paintings as the most valuable thing I have to offer: a genuine expression of the unique person I was created to be.

I offer the stories that accompany each painting as one example of the emotions and experiences that come to mind as I sit with the paintings. You may connect with them in a totally different way, and I may, too, on a different day.

I hope being vulnerable through my art will help you embrace your unique identity as a treasure beyond price.  

__________

A little bit about me

I’m a woman, a wife, a mother of 3, a grandmother of 6, a friend of many. I count on God’s great love for my life, my family, and our world. 

My life has benefitted from some unique experiences:

 ·      European-ness is in me.  

I was born the youngest of nine in a Dutch immigrant family, growing up on a sprawling dairy farm in Los Angeles, with pastures as far as the eye could see, surrounded with all things Dutch.  

·      The bold colors and rhythms, the earthiness and laughter of Africa are in me. 

My husband and I worked lived in villages in West Africa for 18 years. We developed friendships with the ‘other’, learned the local language and culture, did linguistic analysis, and trained native speakers in translation and literacy.  

·      Stories of atrocious suffering and incredible healing are in me: I’m an eyewitness. 

Surrounded with people suffering the trauma of war in Africa, I helped church leaders heal from their own wounds and help their people to heal. And the program spread to meet the needs of traumatized people globally. 

"A little Broken and Uniquely Beautiful." My hope is to help people see the beauty that is within them: that being a little broken does not have to be anything less than beautiful!

I often thought that I was too broken, that I was too damaged and unworthy; unable to do the hard things, but through love, through family, through friends and very importantly, through my art, I have come to realize that I am a heck of a lot stronger than I thought! I can do hard things!

"Kintsugi" is the centuries old Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold - it is built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even more stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique and instead of repairing an item like new, this technique actually highlights the "scars" as part of the design. Using this as a metaphor for healing ourselves teaches us an important lesson: Sometimes in the process of repairing things that have broken, we actually create something more unique, beautiful and resilient. 

We all may be a bit broken in our own right, but that is what makes us all uniquely beautiful! 

I am a mixed media artist who just loves texture in my work! I use mark making and my own personal forms of symbolism, and lots of gold, to share my stories through my art.

xo, Holly Lee

I am a mixed media artist with background in biological sciences. My work synthesizes elements from  natural and urban environments. It's a joyful reflection of the forms and colors found in the world around us. There is energy in things such as plants, animals, oceans, and human habitats.

I often combine acrylics, inks, pencils, newspapers and photo transfers, exploring interesting light and composition in all sorts of subject matter. I want to capture the fleeting exuberance of flowers, beauty of ornate textiles, decadent urban decay, and people being in their environment.

I create a world that is an intimate expression of my thoughts and feelings. At age 50 I disrupted the status quo of my day-to-day and stepped into my creative life. My figurative sculptures are a record of that process. I hand sculpt each one in kiln fired clay. Each face is hand painted in layered underglazes to create a worn and weathered feeling, as a reminder to me of the impermanence of things.

First off let's just get it out there...I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

A little bit about my art - I create textural art pieces which incorporate representational form with the printed word. In essence, the visual and written symbols merge to create a unique aesthetic language that is both provocative and whimsical. My multiple-image pieces, range from polka dots to popular culture, evoke emotions and memories in the viewer. The combination of images tells a story and provokes a personal exchange between the art and the audience. 

Somebody once said about my paintings. "I could've done that." I replied, "But you didn't and I did. Now you can't because I did and that would be copying.

 I am an oil painter from Chester County, PA. I have combined my background in biological science with my need to express myself creatively through oil painting for the past 15 years. I have a passion for nature, natural environments and the creatures that inhabit them, including polar bears, arctic wolves, arctic foxes, and birds. Knowing the challenges these species are facing with global warming has inspired me to portray them in paint.

I live near Valley Forge National Historical Park and combine my hiking for exercise with my interest in birding photography. I love the challenge of finding different bird species in various environments, identifying them, and capturing their character in a photograph, especially when it’s a particularly quirky pose. I also get a thrill when I lock eyes with a bird and interact in a special intimate moment. I sometimes find birds that seem just as curious about me, as I am about them. I do this field work to collect reference photos for my bird paintings. 

I've been oil painting outdoors for over 13 years. Landscapes in nature have inspired me from my earliest days growing up on a farm.

My paintings have a sense of softness and serenity. I simplify nature's complexities to capture a mood that the location inspires. My goal is to instill a sense of wonder and to help the viewer look at things in a different way.

I invite you into my paintings to shift your focus away from your cares and to see from a new perspective. 

From breathtaking sunsets to awe-inspiring waves, and beautiful sea creatures, visual artist John Lasonio has been immortalizing these beautiful scenes and subjects through his artwork for most of his life. His artwork has been a source of inspiration and environmental awareness for so many art enthusiasts across the country. He is also passionate about promoting the lifestyle of surfing and coastal culture, one that is laidback, calm, and filled with sunny dispositions and a lot of cold drinks.

John Lasonio first fell in love with art when he was just a mere five-year-old after his mother got him a How to Draw Disney Characters book. He spent countless hours practicing and making drawings for several days, and he has not stopped creating something beautiful since then.

Growing up a mile from the beach in Southern California, he latched on to the 'Surf Art" style he has come to develope over the years, as he started drawing waves and beach scenes on his notebooks in school. He created his first portrait when he was 12 years old, drawing the boy from the U2 inner sleeve from the band’s album Boy. He discovered that he was pretty good at it and immediately tried his luck with Sting from the Synchronicity album.

Becoming more confident of his innate skills, John Lasonio started joining art contests. Sometimes he would win. Sometimes he would lose. But he never got discouraged, nor did he think of ever stopping from doing the one thing he was clearly very good at. When he was in high school, his art teacher entered him into a drug-free poster-making contest in the district, where he bested 755 other entries and took home a prize. That poster was used throughout the district, and he was even interviewed by the mayor, who was amazed at his unique skills. 

Over the years, John Lasonio found his preferred style using acrylic art markers. As time went by, he kept on creating more and more artwork that set him apart from other contemporary artists in the country. Now residing in PA, John has established a website, which gave him a platform to share his creations with the surf culture all over the world.

-NY Weekly Article 11/17/2021

My road well traveled - there are certain things in life that I have a strong passion for which is my family. As far back as I can recall, art has been a part of my life and continues to be. Art is my beloved passion. It comes as natural to me as breathing.

My art - I strive to create passion and beauty that the viewer will grasp and most importantly understand. My time is filled with painting, attending art classes or workshops. I am basically a self taught artist who strives to improve oneself.

My message of success - strong determination, to forge on even when feeling overwhelmed and lost in negative thought. This alone is one solid reason I yearn to have my art give solace and comfort to the viewer, the collector, the passerby.

I would like to convey the same feelings I had when painting my artworks. As a self aware empowered woman I bring to the collector the beauty of fine art. I am excited to be a small part of the larger picture. It's an honor to call myself an artist, and a privlidge to be a participating artist in 25 Days of Minis this year.

My paintings celebrate things we have in common, like an obsession with a film character, or a universal experience captured in a vintage photograph. When my mother developed dementia, I became interested in exploring the concept of memory. The vintage photos I paint often mirror our own daily lives and remind us of a shared history and the importance of telling our stories. The best stories are the ones that start with, "Remember that time ...?" and end with you and your friend laughing until you can’t breathe, even after the millionth retelling. 

WARNING: These paintings may cause serious waves of nostalgia and prolonged periods of reflecting on the past. If your reflection lasts more than 4 hours, put down the wine and step away from the painting.

My curious worlds are painted with intimate detail, blended depth, and vibrant walnut oil colors, that focus on beauty and delight. They highlight uplifting emotions on the bright side of life to lighten weighed down negativity.

Despite flouting rules of reality, my meticulous details are rooted in believability, while uncommon combinations of imagery raise curiosity and unfetter imagination to go beyond the ordinary. To foreground intimacy, the floating subjects are very close, while a distant sky creates space to breathe and maintain inner peace.

Due to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, I use water-washed walnut oil and solvent-free techniques without brushstrokes allowing you to explore deeper stories beyond the surface in the realm of the unseen. My intention is for you to see the scene as real. If it's real, and you believe in it, then my work helps you believe in yourself.

Created from empowered clarity, these gemlike reminders encourage you to get out of your comfort zone, and purposely follow your own path knowing trust uplifts your world!

When viewing my oil paintings my collectors experience nostalgia, travel memories or a profound emotional connection to a loved one. My vivid colors, textures and compositions of timeless subject matter provide my viewers with a sense of calm & beauty. I strive to capture the pure essence of my subject using light and active brushstrokes.I'm inspired by the beauty of nature,the spirit of animals, the written word and the melodies of music. You'll often find song lyrics or poetry scattered through my paintings. every picture tells a story. Just ask me!  

I create painted storied inspired by memories and music. Each piece comes together by merging the image with story and song. It's a pretty simple formula: my intuition will tell me to paint an image, and during the painting process a song will start playing in my head, and a memory from my past will unfold. These painted stories are infused with inspiration, connection, and healing.

Having worked in Fashion Design for many years, I transferred into oil painting over 25 years ago. The love of color and the history of oils fed my soul and has become a ritual of observation and experimentation fulfilling my creative side. After many years of national juried shows and work in private and European collections, I have found a style of loose, washy oils which relates to my first love of working in watercolor. Mixing transparent areas with opaque and venturing into the abstract, even if painting a representional work, remains a focus.

It is the simple things in life that bring the most pleasure.  Those simple things and the memories, emotions, and connections that are stirred in people are what I am most passionate about.  I paint with acrylics, but enjoy some mixed media work as well.  Landscapes and still life in nature are what I love most.  I believe it is important to "stop and smell the roses" as they say. 

I am a wife, mother, retired teacher and artist.  Art has always been a part of my life.  In college, I tried to take most of my electives in music and art.  My degree was education.  I actually got married in college and over the course of 10 years, had three daughters. After that, life kind of interrupted my plans to be an artist. The youngest was born in 1990.  At the age of 7 months, she started having seizures.  At age 6, she was diagnosed with Autism.  Our lives were consumed with caretaking and staying close to home.  I began teaching full time when my youngest started school.  I taught for 17 years and retired at age 60. Needless to say, my life was interrupted...but now, I paint!

My artwork is about being free to experience life! I paint with bold colors and expressive brushstrokes because life is too short to hold back. Poppies in particular call to me frequently because of their unique combination of beauty and fragility. With their alluring colors, delicate petals, and intoxicating fragrances, flowers beckon the senses to partake in their sensory symphony. Their resilience inspires me to paint them again and again.

Every moment of life is a precious gift, and my paintings celebrate the freedom to enjoy life to the fullest. Making art is one way I savor life, and every painting is infused with the beauty I find in the world. I have a never ending love affair with color, and I paint with colors that make me feel good!

Art reminds us of just how fabulous it feels to be alive. The journey of each painting begins with this intention; breathe and relax into presence. I begin to listen and allow space for what wants to be expressed in the moment. Without a plan, I let the painting intuitively unfold.

I work primarily in non-objective compositions, creating a bridge between my inner world and the material world. At any given time, I’m working on many paintings simultaneously. I create an orchestra of paintings around me, a back and forth of listening and response, not just to one painting but to a whole room of paintings.

I grew up in the Hudson Valley, spending my childhood drawing and painting, and exploring in nature. I’ve studied extensively in the movement and visual arts with teachers from all over the world. I live and maintain a year-round studio on the coast of Maine.

In my studio, I look through old photographs for that hint of emotion that I connect with. I further develop with sketches, values studies, and possibly research. I imagine a narrative —through the lens of my own history, relationships, culture, ancestors -- seen through the themes and ideas in the history of art. Figures are based on people I may have known or aspire to know. The means is a traditional method of oil painting, expressing personal storytelling, the intensity of relationships between people and their surroundings.  I am interested in the emotion that emerges, whether we want it to be known or not. My figures are real people, letting their true selves peek out.

A brief moment of light and color can unveil the beauty of our common, overlooked outdoor surroundings. These scenes challenge and inspire me to create impressionistic paintings where I strive to create a visual escape, capturing the subtleties of colors on an overcast day or the dramatic sunlight on a peaceful vista. Through my paintings, I provide my collectors a renewed memory of enjoying our great outdoors.

About My Paintings:

When painting, it is not the subject that excites me, but rather the bold, transient lighting that defines the shapes, contrast of values, color intensities, and abstract design of the scene. I typically paint in my home studio working from my sketches and digital photos of local parks or countryside. On nice days I prefer working in Plein Air where I get to enjoy the weather and feel the immediacy and rush to complete the painting on site. 

I paint in a loose and expressive painting style using both brush and painting knife working with a limited palette of only 6 colors, often finishing the painting in five or less short painting sessions. When painting I start with a charcoal outline of basic design followed by a monochromatic underpainting. Once dry, I then block in the basic colors focusing on the values and color intensities for the desired effect. I then complete the painting with multiple iterations of refinement in detail and color.

Explore the unknown within, embrace all your parts, you are powerful!

After 65 years of life I am enjoying every minute of it now, after plenty of trials and pain.  The older I get, the more I find peace and joy in little tasks, and allow myself the grace to not be fast enough, efficient enough, or perfect enough, and to siimply enjoy the moments as they come, plan for great things, and be happy with whatever I get done.

I am priviliged to offer my art and my stories to you.  To be a part of this fabric we call life, and to contribute something that I find to be beautiful; whether it is something visual, or something I have discovered from my perspective along my path.

I live in a little house on one acre of land, with my grown youngest son, three horses, two dogs, one cat, and sometimes my husband.  My favorite things are meeting people, exploring the unknown within me, making art, designing and building structures, and sharing the stories from my life.

I hope what I have to offer will bless your life in some way.

My focus is primarily on portraits, and I put my soul into each of them. My black and white portraits honor the Military. Drawing on my own experiences, I use both these portraits and my written words to reach Veterans who are struggling with PTSD. My goal is for those who see and hear my work to feel motivated, inspired, and alive.

Why Do I Create Art?

Life in the military was not easy—to say the least. It kept me away from my family while simultaneously making another family. It offers a camaraderie like no other, yet it also offers conflicts and struggles unseen to many.  I’ve lost many close friends through suicide and combat. Many of us struggle with PTSD and will continue with the unseen and seen injuries from training and combat. 

Painting is the one aspect of my life that helps me cope with it all—the physical and mental struggles. My use of colors—or lack of color with my black and white military inspired works and portraitures. The lack of color is intentional and lets you merge into my world. It lets you think beyond the work itself by taking you deeper into what I’ve been through. I call it my “Mental Balance”. While my portraits include vibrant colors and the love for life that I have.

What Is My Message?

Sometimes words are scarce and you can’t convey your message the way it is intended to for lack of listeners or understanding, however, painting is my way of letting you know that it’s ok to feel pain—but you have to let it go. Remember the pain, and continue moving on. Cherish each day and do that one thing that brings light into your life and everything else will fall into place… eventually.

I tend to put my blood, sweat and tears into everything I do…

My OCD tendencies often make me create, change, and create again until my artwork has been infused with my heart and soul. Every piece of art that gets shown to my collectors has been looked at from a million angles, and finally….after obsessive amounts of introspection….approved, by me, to go out into the world.

I strive to saturate my artwork with a vibrancy that can be seen from anywhere in the room. I create artwork that is bright, and bold, and fragile - just like me, and maybe just like you.

Art has always been my lifeline. I come from a long line of artists and musicians and I've been painting from the moment I could hold something in my hand. But it's more than that for me. I was born in India, raised in the Netherlands, and ended up in America eventually. Art isn't just an exploration of my cultural heritage or my erstwhile nomadic life. It's a way for me to heal my soul, find beauty in the world, and show the world that everyone can find healing in art. 

When creating art, I take inspiration from my Indian heritage's love for rich colors and patterns. I explore people, places and other subject matters by trying to tell the story. My sincerest hope when creating art, is that anyone who views it can relate to the feeling of finding strength, beauty, and light during good and bad times. I want to offer hope and love and happiness through a visual experience.

Bright, bold and beautiful are the colors with which I tell my stories. I "feel" the colors and I try to create art where others feel my art as well. I paint in multiple layers that develop the subject over many days.I paint with soft pastels, pastel pencils and my subjects are from nature. I try to capture the story that is being revealed to me and marry it with my own stories to create my art. I naturally gravitated towards a warmer pallet and my work is usually dominated with a lot of warm colors.

Art is a significant part of my life. I have been painting for over a decade now and art has saved my soul from despair many a times. Be it getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or my battle with depression and anxiety, art has rescued me several times. This has formed a deep relation between what I create and what I feel. I aspire to inspire my viewer to experience the moment before it is lost. My work  captures the moment right before it changes.

Stay in the Moment - Control What You Can

My art is a reflection of the healing power of nature. Being alone in nature allows me to be truly present in the moment; a place to unplug, unwind and exhale.

So often in life we feel the need to be in control. Daily responsibilities and sometimes unforeseen circumstances can make us feel as if we are in a constant state of over drive. I know. I have been there. Solitary time in nature even for a brief time allows me to process my emotions and recalibrate. The sounds, smells and sheer beauty of nature have an immediate calming effect on me.

When I paint I try to recreate these moments in a realistic and tangible way using both oil and watercolor as my mediums.

As you view my work I hope that you will experience those moments with me.

I create realistic oil paintings, often with a touch of whimsy. My paintings make me smile and remind me daily that life is good and I am ok. 8 years ago I started my art journey as a form of vision therapy following an accident. I was not artistic beyond doodling at meetings and creating ugly 80's country crafts. As life sometimes goes, I stumbled upon a hidden skill that I didn't know I had. I started painting simple everyday objects and as I created, my vision improved. My paintings are colorful, often humorous, evoke feelings and memories, and allow me to share my positive vibe with others. 

Born and raised in India, my work has been highly influenced by Indian folk art. I learned to appreciate folk arts through my travels around the country. I was intrigued by how each folk style had its own vocabulary, color palette, mediums, and motifs. Even though I admire every style of Indian folk art, Madhubani, Kalamkari, and Warli have captured my attention. Madhubani style: preliminary imagery, most dynamic color palette, and no negative space. Kalamkari style: one of the most decorative forms of art and influences Indian textiles. Whereas, Warli style is an ancient story-telling mural art. It uses the most basic vocabulary: circles, triangles, and a limited color palette of two colors white, black, and/or brown. The vibrancy of the painting is shown through the stories it portrays. Over the period of time, I have adapted the essence of each style and woven it into creating my signature style. However, whichever style I am in the mood to portray, I aim to preserve the subject's beauty.

 My art is abstract, with a little something familiar in each piece. My colors and figures draw you in to the artwork. What you discover the longer you look at my art are the colors, textures, patterns and shapes that emerge through the many layers of a clay monoprint.  My abstract figures allow you to see yourself in the art and discover something new about yourself when viewing my work. 

The colors, patterns, and texture in my work tell a story of what is underneath. When you look at my work you might be drawn in by the surface colors, the images or the design. But when you look more closely, layers emerge revealing surprises and hidden gems.

As a clinical psychologist, I help people gently peel away the layers that prevent them from accessing all of their strengths.
I help couples feel the love and connection that comes with vulnerability.
And I have had to dig deep at times to find my strength and courage. 

Let my art be a gentle reminder of your inner strength, resilience and beauty. 

I love sharing my art with others because I am sharing myself and my story.
I am telling you what matters to me.
When I see you connecting emotionally to a piece of mine, it touches me to know that I have added something of meaning to your life and a reminder of how strong you really are at the core.

My experience with the natural beauty around me flows through me onto the canvas. Because I paint from memory, my work is about the feeling of a place rather than a specific location. Collectors engage with my art as it sparks their own experience with and recollection of a watery landscape.

   "WHAT IS IT YOU PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR  ONE WILD & PRECIOUS LIFE?"

My life has been guided by this question posited by Mary Oliver. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I dreamed of being an artist as a kid. As I grew into young adulthood, I decided to build a career in technology and management consulting, which spanned decades. I loved it. I channeled my creativity into my job—building businesses, inventing new products, creating growth strategies, building great teams.

After my retirement, I decided to refocus on my passion for art. I completed the Certificate Program at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2019. I loved going back to school with students decades younger—I learned so much from them.

Today, I enjoy a full-time studio practice in the suburbs of Philadelphia. My paintings are abstracted landscapes that recreate the playful wonder and energy of simpler times for today’s world. I am inspired by the outdoors, childlike play, and exploration. Each painting holds the power to connect you with your own experience of freedom and uninhibited self-expression.

AWARD-WINNING CONTEMPORARY ABSTRACT ARTIST BASED IN PHILADELPHIA, PA

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That gorgeous blue robin's egg?  Yes, that is when I started my journey as an artist.

I was only five years old. The color just went through me like a lightning bolt and opened up my passion for color. My box of crayons became my treasure chest. 

That lightning bolt struck again eleven years later when I saw, in person, an abstract painting by Franz Kline at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

The power and expression of that painting gave me the freedom and permission to see beyond the traditional realist approach to art. I had not been taught to explore and push boundaries.

I never realized it was possible.

When I stand in front of a blank canvas I  jump down that blank portal and like "Alice in Wonderland", experience a world of magic and strange logic full of phantasmal shapes, glowing colors, and glorious marks.

They jump from my eyes into my deepest emotions and then to my brush. I paint layers of colors and rhythms that breathe life into my paintings and open up stories for the viewer's imagination and curiosity.

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Treat your loved ones to something happy.  Explore the season's freshest Sandi Neiman Lovitz color-pop canvases.  Browse award-winning paintings shipped straight to you in time for holiday giving.

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Sandi's contemporary abstract paintings are shown in galleries, corporate settings and private collections throughout Pennsylvania.  

sandineimanlovitz.com

Figurative elements have always found their way into my work. Maybe because for so long I struggled with body image - I was too tall, too skinny, too fat.

I finally figured out that I don't have to play by the rules, that I don't have to listen to what is whispered in the ears of women everywhere.

I discoverd that I am amazing.  That I like myself.  Who knew?

My collectors experience a sense of acceptance and freedom when engaging with my work. I offer a new idea of beautiful.

CAPTURING MOMENTS OF SERENITY AND BEAUTY IN NATURE.

My inspiration

Stepping into Serenity through my paintings. You are invited to come along with me on my walks with nature. For me it is about capturing those moments of  serenity and beauty in nature.  My forever challenge is to offer the impression of what stirred my soul so that it will reach out and stir the viewers soul. The intent is to sooth and comfort the viewer.   There is no doubt as to where I receive my inspiration. As a child, I grew up in the country and loved walking through the woods and in the mountains surrounding my home.   It was the beginning of a deep appreciation for nature and the landscape.   I relish moments spent taking walks through nature.  I invite viewers to come along on those forays through the serene greens of summer, the sweet blossoms of spring, the golds and rusts of autumn and even the blue and purplish grays of winter.  All of that has a powerful effect and influence upon what I paint awakening a passion from within my soul.

My Journey Through Life

Yesterday, today and always while on my journey through life, with a whispered prayer of gratitude to God, I aspire to capture that spirit, serenity, the moods, tranquility and beauty of nature in hope that your spirit will experience an uplifting if even for a few moments in time.  Each day I strive to learn and understand more so as to bring a better reverence for the beauty of nature that sourrounds us all.  Join me on that journey~~ that walk into the serenity of nature.

The Spirit of Art

Besides enjoying the creativeness of drawing and painting, taking piano lessons was a part of my life growing up.  There has always been a connection between music and fine art for me.  I enjoy composing my own music in much the same way when composing my art.  One muse leading into the other. The soul reaches out and goes beyond.

My Art Mediums of choice

While an art major in highschool, I was introduced to many art mediums.  Soft Pastels and Oils still remain my favorite mediums.  Over the years I have worked in watercolors and acrylics as well. 

 A side note

I hold Signature Membership in the Pastel Society of America and also the Maryland Pastel Society. In 2021, it was an honor to have had one of my paintings juried into the 124th Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club and exhibited in the Salmagundi Art Club in New York.  My work was also juried into 6 national art competitions  this year, as well as being honored with a Bronze Medal in the National Redwood Forest competition. 2022 - 2023, My work has received several awards, plus being accepted into several national and an international juried art showl  You will find my work featured in several art magazines, including "Pastel Journal," as well as several art book publications, such as "100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic,"  "Artists Homes and Studios," "Best of America-Pastel Artists," and Best of Worldwide Landscape Artists."

Thank you for your appreciation of my art.  

Wishing you the very best of times,

Artfully yours,

Sandy

This year, I want to take you on a tour of some of my favorite places. When I paint, I try to capture not just a likeness of the place but the feeling that I had when I was there. I hope this collection brings you all the joy, peace and love that I experienced both being there and later painting them. Happy Holidays!!

My paintings are a visual diary of the places and people I observe, inspired by travels near and far. From the spectacular natural beauty surrounding my home in eastern Tennessee to the distinctive lights and personalities of cities, there’s nothing that I love more than using vibrant color to capture these venues and share their energy with collectors.

I paint intuitive energetic abstracts using bold colors and forms. Even at their most abstract, my paintings are deeply rooted in my life experiences of growing up in India, migrating to the US, my engineering background, a love for exploring and experiencing new places and finding beauty in everyday mundanity. My paintings explore the themes of culture, city life, nature and geometry

 I begin the paintings with a simple mark, or with some left over color, without a set idea in mind, as I add more elements, I let the painting decide where it wants to go. Sometimes it is simple and quick, but often it takes multiple layers to finish a composition.

 On the surface the first impressions to a viewer may be the bright colors and the bold shapes, but as they spend more time with the painting, the details draw them to look deeper and explore. What I find most rewarding is when through the abstraction, people are able to connect to an emotion, or a place, or a time in their life. Sometimes it matches my idea and that is great but what is even better is when they have a completely new experience and I rediscover the painting through their eyes.

My paintings are the expression of an appreciation of nature in an intimate form. No big vistas, instead I'm interested in those small, magical moments where light, texture, and form meet nature.

The texture of bark, the shapes made by interwoven branches, the repetition of line in a grove of aspen...these are the things I try to capture in my work.      

Sean Huntington lives not far from where he grew up, and his greatest inspiration... in the forest along the New York/Pennsyvlania border! He is most at home on a trail, annoying his friends with scientific names and interesting-to-him nature nerd stuff. When not out in the woods , Sean maintains a studio in Olean NY, where he does his best impression of a big and tall version of Bob Ross.  

I was born in Ohio, then spent my childhood in a small village in the Netherlands. Turns out Dutch is not a super useful second language but the trade off was an idyllic place to grow up! My family moved back just in time for a senior year of high school which turned out to be another tough transition. College was better and I went on to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree followed by earning a Masters Degree in Psychology with further post graduate studies in Art Therapy. I have a fantastic partner of 20 years in my husband James and the love of 4 good-ish dogs.

I believed I needed to set aside my own creative endeavors to pursue my career as a Marriage Family Therapist but ultimately came to understand that an important part of me was missing and I desperately needed it back. Upon recognizing that loss, with the James’ support, made a comeback to art making after a dozen years. In 2011, I signed up for an adult painting class and haven’t looked back since. I find being a painter allows me to reflect on, express feelings about, and ultimately find delight in all the messy beauty I experience in life all around and within me.

Influenced by nature, in particular my reverence for the Animal Kingdom, I’m inspired to create delight-filled abstractified animal portraits. As a mixed media painter, I am unable to imagine declaring loyalty to just one medium. Within the layers of my paintings one can spy graphite, acrylics, gold leaf, colored pencil, and oil paint, all topped with a matte varnish. 

Being outdoors, feeling the wind, smelling the flowers, passing by the woods, watching the movement of sunlight as it hits all of these sights and capturing it on the canvas is precious to me. My subjects are usually natural landscapes, trees, flowers and people. I have been painting pleinair in an impressionistic style and am now shifting to realism. Using acrylics and oils as my medium, I strive to bring depth into my paintings. They make people see the wholeness of the subject and appreciate its beauty. 

I'm a painter of people. And I paint with all the love, respect and fascination that I feel for people of all walks.

I live in New York City, a 24x7 source of inspiring humanity, diversity and creativity. Museums, galleries, sketching and painting from live model sessions, all fuel my work. Plus an iPhone with an approximate zillion photos of captured moments that I'm always on the lookout for.

My collectors connect with deep emotion when they experience my paintings. For some, they feel personal identification, as if they've been recognized and given a voice. For others, the emotion they feel is compassion for humanity. 

Every one of my paintings carries my belief that every one of us deserves love and acceptance.

Growing up in the Adirondack Park and Thousand Island regions of New York state, gave Steve many opportunities to enjoy and learn about not only the natural beauty of the area and the animals living there.  It was this fascination with wildlife and his lifelong interest in drawing and painting that encouraged him to focus on wildlife art and begin his career as a professional almost 30 years ago.

 Primarily working with acrylic paint, Steve makes every effort to observe and understand each of his subject matters, with the intent to honor the animal in a painting or drawing.  The challenge is to render each animal accurately with regards to anatomy and color, and still create a piece of art that is interesting and distinctively as his artwork.  Generally characterized by strong compositions and meticulous detail, The ultimate goal is to accurately portray animals in their natural habitat.  Sometimes, the research to learn and understand each animal takes as much time as the actual painting itself.  Observation is key to all successful painting.

Inspiration comes from his lifelong curiosity and fascination of all living things and his many personal experiences while traveling to places all over North America and Africa. 

In Steve's words:  "Painting is an unspoken language that grants me the ability to express my fascination and appreciation for the natural world and then connect with people who enjoy those same amazing things.  I think when people look at my art, it helps them recall a magical moment in their lives or perhaps allows them to enjoy a special moment or experience or in mine.  Either way, an unspoken connection is made."

In addition to receiving numerous awards and much recognition for Steve's animal art, I have taken part in many regional, national and international wildlife art shows.  

I am a mixed media artist and maker, and both are an intrinsic part of who I am. From an early age, I have found that I gain great feelings of accomplishment, enthusiasm, and stimulation when I create things myself. I make things primarily through intuition and focus of what brings harmony and interest via my own senses – be that in my artwork, cooking, or crafting – rather than more formulaic or prescriptive approaches.

I studied industrial design in college and learned how to apply design-thinking and problem solving to my creative pursuits. When I lost my father in 2019, I found a renewed dedication and focus on my artwork that allowed me to begin working through the grief of losing a parent and feel more connected to his memory. Since that time, I have been honing my art style and incorporating a regular creative practice into my life. 

I live in Catonsville, MD (a suburb of Baltimore) with my husband, two children, and two cats. During the day, I work in digital strategy at an international digital agency. My interests include reading, cooking, traveling, yoga, and studying Italian language.  

I paint run down, worn-in urban environments as a way to study gritty places and people.

​Every painting begins with a layer of newspaper permanently adhered to the surface. The purpose of the newspaper is to simulate the chaos and noise found in urban environments. Layers of transparent and opaque paint are then built up over the surface. Through this process, subtle areas of the background are revealed ...windows fill with people, headlines bleed through the sky, graffiti-like graphics appear on walls.

How do I choose my subject matter?

I paint from the gut. Most of the time my subjects find me..and by choosing to remain mindful of those connections, I am able to collect ideas for future exploration. I do this with photographs, quick sketches, and journaling. Over time, I began noticing commonalities in the work that I was creating, most notably the desire to capture grittier subjects. As I became more and more curious about what grit was, I discovered that it was the central theme in my work.

​Grit is courage, passion, perseverance, determination, and resilience. The subjects found in my work either set a stage for grit to be present (forgotten corners of cities) or explore what grit looks like in action (the business owner surrounded by their hard work and dreams).

​Every single painting is a way for me to open up about who I am and connect with people who have thrived despite challenging circumstances in their lives.

My art explores the challenges we feel when we are going through difficult times... as well as the hopefulness and inner strength we possess to keep us going. My art has been a vehicle to help me navigate through the challenges of living with Lyme disease.

I use fish imagery, usually contained in bowls and bags to represent the loneliness and limitations sometimes felt when dealing with a chronic situation, using oil and cold wax to explore texture and layers creating a sense of time and memory. 

My paintings bring you to calm places. They are focused on scenes in the world around us, and they mean to slow you down and give you feelings of peace. It’s all about capturing the moment in time, the light, the essence of any subject. Colors, light and shadow, shapes and contours are all fascinating elements. It’s all about recording and emphasizing what I’m seeing. And as an artist I’m grateful to find that what I do is appreciated and enjoyed by others. It’s that sense of bringing joy to other people and elevating their world and bringing them peace. 

'Waterimagineer' is how I like to describe my painting. A mostly self-taught artist, I play with water and pigment to bring movement in nature to life. Nature, particularly moving water, gives us positive energy. Oceans, forests, lakes, mountains, have always been there for me as energizing and healing elements and I love bringing their energy forward in my art.

Favorite places to hang out and absorb nature's vibes include Trail 6 at San Onofre State Beach in southern California, Chautauqua Lake, Mt. Crested Butte, BVIs, and pretty much any hiking trail, especially if there are water features.

My approach to painting - my technique, is to brush clear water onto the paper, so it's "moving", and quickly place watercolor pigment onto key areas of the water I just put down. The color flows with the movement of the water, creating a feeling that is fluid instead of static.

My artwork is bright, vibrant, sweet and salty. Using spray paint, hand painted acrylic imagery, vinyl lettering, and found objects on wood panel (including copious amounts of glitter) layered within crystal clear resin, I create unique art that playfully tells my collected stories and observations over the last 40 years. A hopeful cynic, my work often tackles taboo and societal issues in an unassuming, cutesy and palatable way. 

Originally from New England and now living in sunny St Petersburg, FL I spent a lifetime trying to figure out where I fit in and how NOT to have a job I loathed (selling pipe markers was not my calling). Through a series of events and many plot twists I eventually found myself right where I always belonged... creating unique painted artwork. 

Through my work I hope to inspire others to chase their own dreams and to live their lives unapologetically on their own terms.