How long have you been creating?

For about 15 years now. I always loved art and took art in school and really wish I had stuck with it. But, life kept me busy with kids and work and there just wasn't any time. Once the kids were grown and out of the nest, I found myself with nothing to do. Something was missing. I finally realized my life was my own for a change and I could do what I want! I knew about oils so I started out with those then moved to acrylics for awhile. I then needed a new challenge. I had heard how hard watercolors were and thought I've got to learn that!

What is your media of choice?

Definitely watercolors. It's faster, cleaner and soooo much brighter. I love color, lots of bright colors. With watercolor you can get effects that you can't get with anything else.

What are you motivations for creating?

At first, I wanted some art on my walls...my own art. Once my walls were full, I started painting for other people...friends and relatives and then online auctions. What I really get inspired by is interactions of people or animals with each other or the beauty of flowers and the myriad of colors they have that inspire.

What other artists or movements inform your work?

I'm alway looking at other artists work. Some workshops I have taken like Terry Madden's really gave me a good jump start. I can't always paint "loose" like he does but I love the colors he chooses. His paintings are never dark and he hates detail. But then I find I always go back to doing too much detail myself especially on commissioned paintings.

What do you find visually stimulating right now?

I take my little digital camera with me everywhere. Don't want to miss anything that might make a good painting. My labradoodle pups have provided me with lots of inspiration. Children are always great. They are always natural and if I can catch them when they are not looking, I get some fun paintings from them.

What's the last book you read?

Clan of the Cave Bear. So it's been a long time since I have taken the time to really sit down and concentrate on a story. To me, it's an escape and I now escape by getting into my painting. Mostly I read for education not entertainment.

Tell us a little about your "rebellious" watercolour philosophy.

How did you know? Not wanting to paint like anyone else, I try to think of a subject and ask myself "What would everyone else do?" Then, I think, I want to do what no-one else has done with this subject. I belong to a watercolor workshop on-line and we are given a specific subject each month. The seashore or beaches was the subject once and I live in Oklahoma. Where am I going to see a beach? I have memories of a family vacation when I was a teenager to the ocean on the California coast. Everyone else will probably paint beach chairs and umbrellas and kids playing with the sand. I remember loving the feel of the sand between my toes in the water and thought I would do that. Since I had just had a pedicure, it just seemed to go together and painted my pretty toes in the sand in the water.

What would you like your fellow EBSQ artists and our collectors to know about you and/or your work?

If you dream and desire, you can do it too!