I have wanted to be an artist since I was five, but getting there was a long road. I received my BFA from Central Michigan University in 2000 and my MFA from the Maine College of Art in 2006. My graduate work and the art I made for a number of years after school featured small cardboard houses, which I photographed out in the world creating a little glimpse into a tiny, lovely interior space. Fast forward a few years, and I was settled in with my husband and two boys in our house in Shepherd, Michigan, creating a space of our own.

At this time, I returned to painting in both oil and watercolor, creating a series of bizarre landscapes featuring houses of all kinds. Throughout all my work, a sense of whimsy and vivid pallet of eye-catching colors have remained.

My current watercolor rampage has led me to create a series of children’s books featuring 3 Little Birds and a host of other animals in various biomes that the birds visit on their magic boat. “Work comes from work” was the mantra often heard in grad school, and I found it a good saying and a better practice! At a loss for inspiration? Just make something and the ideas will flow!