I was born blind in Indiana and remain legally blind today. My parents were advised to “Put her in an asylum for the blind and move on with your life.” Gratefully, they chose otherwise. See the world through my eyes!
How can anyone boil their life down to a simple few words? I will tell you more. When I was ten, my father brought home rolls of white butcher paper. I’d unroll that across my floor, lie on my stomach, and draw for hours! Then, in elementary school, I would fill the margins of my homework with doodles or small images. My sixth-grade teacher, Kimberly Peg (I include her name in case you ever run across her and can tell her she made a difference in my life). She cared about me as a person. She praised my art. Sixth-grade rolled into seventh and so forth. I excelled at art and took every class offered. I entered Purdue University as a creative writing major, on the honors roll.
I pursued a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. I sold my first piece at 19! I was heartbroken as I saw it walk out the door; I was also thrilled that someone wanted to make it part of their life. To hang it on their entry wall. I had just become a freelance artist.
Over the years, I worked in graphite, oil, acrylic, pen and ink, and, at last, watercolor. I had a portfolio of pieces marked Not For Sale. They were my treasures! On December 5, 2005, my parents’ home burned to the ground. All the way to the ground. They lost everything. I lost my beloved pieces. I had a paradigm shift. I was selling my work for 4- and 5-figure prices. And yet the very pieces I treasured never had the chance to be treasured by someone else. I wanted to bring the price of original art back down to a place where an individual could own it, without breaking the bank. Just enough to make sure it wasn’t tossed out, but not so high that they couldn’t bring original work into their home.
Currently, I sell my work at local art galleries, online, and by word of mouth. Creating is like breathing. Breathing life into a space, touching a soul, helping to make a personal connection… All original work. Either as my own creation or as a commissioned work inspired by you.
The work I have done is varied in topic and style. Enjoy wandering through…
