About
I am an abstract painter, illustrator and author based in Portland, Oregon. I have a little art studio in my backyard where I make magic happen.
in my studio
I studied art and earned my teaching credential, and I love to share how art can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. My biggest inspiration is nature and the beauty in the textures and colors I can glean from it.
I grew up between California and Colorado, which gave me a lot of time outdoors. I lived and traveled around Australia for two years, in Sydney and Perth, and since then I have visited Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China, France, Canada and Germany. What I always come back to is the beauty of nature.
Today I live in Portland with my family. My studio shed sits in our peaceful backyard, and it is where I paint and draw the pages for my books.
“Like wildflowers, the most beautiful things rarely grow in perfect rows.”
The paintings
My Terra Chromata series uses pigments I forage myself. I grind rocks and clay found by the rivers and coast in Oregon, and I use charcoal from local wildfires. I also collect black walnuts, acorns and oak galls and brew them into inks. I have painted for private collectors, interior designers, businesses and public venues.
See the paintings
The books
The drawings in Botanical Wonderland, my first coloring book, were inspired by the two years I lived in Australia, surrounded by flora and fauna I had never seen before. Since then I have written and illustrated nine coloring and how-to books, published by Mixed Media Resources and sold at Barnes & Noble, Michaels, Hobby Lobby and Amazon.
See the books
Teaching
I believe everyone can develop their artistic skills with the right guidance. Coloring Masterclass is where I teach the techniques I use in my books, in 36 video lessons you can follow at your own pace.
About Coloring MasterclassFor commissions, questions about a painting or a note about my books, write to me.