I have been practicing art informally my entire life. Doodling on school folders and paper pads during phone calls and meetings; discovering rubber stamps and using cast off postage stamp collections as collage material. Briefly pursuing creative writing. Then, in 2016 I began weekly drawing classes at a local art center and, a few years later, started doing representational acrylic paintings. In 2020, I found abstract painting and collage and haven't looked back.

While my formal education – BA in Anthropology, MA in Museum Studies – isn't directly related to art making, it enhances my natural curiosity about life and how it is perceived through art. Focusing on reusing everyday materials is one way that my work can reflect present day events. Creating abstract pieces allows me to express my own perceptions and feelings about the life I have led from a multitude of past, present and dreamed of experiences.

I like to start with a blank slate and see where it takes me. I build up my work in layers of collage material and paint, like a reverse archeological dig, to reveal a sense of depth, intrigue and story.  I find this reveal exciting and mysterious (and sometimes a bit frustrating!) wondering, what’s this about? Each piece develops its own personality and character that I can respond to with more layers, scratching marks, scrubbing, rubbing, or sanding away. It's always an adventure and a joy to make art!

Shows and Exhibits

Arts North International 30 Juried Exhibition, Hopkins Center for the Arts, January 11-February 22, 2025

Minnesota Artists Association Fall Member Juried Exhibition, Ames Center, October 3-November 16, 2024

Solo Exhibit, Community Art Display, Hennepin County Library, Eden Prairie Branch, July 1-30, 2024

In The Abstract, San Fernando Arts & Craft Center, Online Juried Exhibition, June 1-30, 2024

Solo Exhibit, Community Art Display, Hennepin County Library, Eden Prairie Branch, September 29-October 30, 2023

Solo Exhibit, Inspired by...Works by Cheryl Kessler, Long Island Children's Museum, June 3-August 13, 2023

Small Works, Indiana University Kokomo Art Gallery, July 3-20, 2023

Spring Members' Exhibition, Hopkins Center for the Arts, April 8-May 13, 2023

The Student Show 2023, Minnetonka Center for the Arts,  - February 17-March 31, 2023

Celebrating Women: For Women, By Women, About Women, The Kavanagh Gallery, FineLine Creative Arts Center, February 16-March 24, 2023

Members' Juried Exhibition, Hopkins Center for the Arts, October 27-December 3, 2022

Elevate Nutrition, Eden Prairie, rolling exhibit, December 2021-March 2023