Have you always been creative and what’s the earliest work you can remember creating?
I have been drawing and painting ever since I was a child. The first thing I remember drawing was an endless series of animals made with basic shapes from an Ed Emberley book I loved. And I became obsessed with reading about and drawing Native Americans and created little imaginary worlds for them.
What's your studio like and how do you keep organised?
My husband and I designed and built a house with a green/minimalist aesthetic, so simply having less stuff helps me to stay organized. Also watercolor does not require a whole lot of special equipment. My studio is just a desk in front of a north-facing window. I store my paintings in a big flat file cabinet, and I have a small set of drawers beside my desk for supplies.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I am inspired by things that are shiny, complicated, and beautiful. If it looks like it might be hard to paint, I want to see if I can do it justice. I love to challenge myself. I am also engaged in a long-running series of paintings of my nieces (ages 4 and 2), and their sweetness and investigation of their world is lovely to observe. When I look at them, I see paintings.
Whats in your pencil case / camera bag?
On the top of my desk I have three bright lights that mimic sunlight, a jar that stores my watercolors, my laptop, a water jar, a portable Blu-ray player so I can watch movies on my laptop while I paint, a cup full of brushes, pens, pencils, and an eraser, eyeglasses with magnification so I can see the tiniest stuff I'm painting, and an iPad and iPhone.
Any tips for someone suffering from creative block?
Open your eyes and see the beauty in all the insignificant, everyday things around you. I've made paintings from acorns and snails and fishing lures and glass gems you can put in floral arrangements. Pretty much anything you can name is worthy of your attention. When you see beauty in everything, it's hard not to be inspired. If anything, it's frustrating because there's really too much to paint and you'll never be able to paint all of it!
Do you do any other crafts and what are your hobbies?
I love to write and cook/bake. Every Christmas I make my own edible ornaments for the tree. And I've had a side gig creating cartoons about U2 for atu2.com since 2002. It's the geekiest thing ever, but as I write this my fan art is on display in two museums, so maybe it's not a total waste of time.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for finding my work and featuring me!
Drawing
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