P O R T R A I T A R T I S T
My choice to become a portrait artist can be traced back to childhood. Being raised in a pastor's home, I spent a lot of time having to sit still and entertain myself while surrounded by various and interesting faces. A pencil and paper turned out to be my favorite toy and by the age of 7 I had already discovered the rewards of getting a likeness.
I was born in Montana, and raised in 6 different towns in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. My career in the art field began in Phoenix AZ where I got my first job as an artist at Keyes Art Service, an art studio specializing in yellow page ads. My art education consists of two years of a graphics program at Spokane Falls College. The bulk of my skills are a result of many years of self-teaching from a large selection of instructional materials. The style of portrait artist Daniel Green has had a strong influence on my portrait work.
Portraits were my first love, and when I started a family I was drawn back to them. In 1988, I got my first set of pastels. I have been working in pastels since that day. It is a thrill to be able to create beautiful artwork that can have such a deep sentimental value to it's owner.
In recent years, country surroundings have had an influence on my choices of subject matter outside of my portrait business. I have always loved the powerful, graceful beauty of horses, and since moving to a ranch near Upton Wyoming in 1998, I have taken on the challenge of painting them.
Most of my portraits are in pastel, but I also work in pencil, oil, watercolor,
and charcoal. I have had the opportunity to illustrate a children's book,
Butch and the Rooster, by Judy Hess
and to create a coloring book of alphabet characters called "Alphatoons" to
accompany a CD of songs by Randy Crane and Rhonda Erickson. These items
may also be ordered from me via e-mail. I also have available note cards
with any of the images seen on the prints pages of this website. A
selection of 5 cards and envelopes may be special ordered and assembled as requested.
I have recently been making
WIRE WRAPPED JEWELRY
(click
to see it bigger) and I am working on creating some pages for
you to select more jewelry. This pendant is for sale at $25.00. It
is a rounded opalite glass
heart wrapped in silve-rtone non-tarnish wire with a 24 inch snake chain.
Just email me and you can buy it. There will soon be more to choose from
on this site.
On a little more personal note:
I have two really great sons who are grown
up and out on their own. 
Darren is
29, a college grad, and is living and working in China.
Kyle,
is 26, has completed 2 years
of college and is now living in Billings Montana and a vital part of
his church music and youth ministry. Both are single.... no
grandkids yet! If you want to know more about why Jesus Christ is our guide and
savior
take a look
My husband Bill is a genuine Wyoming rancher who loves the land and it's maker.
These are two oil portraits of him.
While my two boys were growing up I enjoyed teaching after school and summer drawing classes for the neighborhood kids. Since then I have taught classes both privately and in connection with various educational programs and clubs.
I seldom enter competitions, but have won some awards through the years. In 2002 and again in 2007, I was able to collect a selection of my commissioned portraits from their owners for a one-artist display held at the Heritage Center Gallery in Gillette, WY. I hope to do that again in the future. In 2003, 2004, and 2006 I was thrilled to receive the People's Choice award at the Spearfish Center for the Arts Annual Winter Art Show. Since then I haven't entered the show because I have been busy with jewelry, portrait customers, and faux painting.
Here is
a sample of my kitchen that I have painted faux rocks on.
click to see it bigger
Portrait Gallery 2 Portrait Gallery 3 Portrait Gallery 1
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Learn more about where to find my artwork at- Recent Works-Show schedule