I was born and raised in Houston. Creativity has been a constant throughout my life, expressed through gardening, crochet, jewelry making, and website design long before I ever picked up a paintbrush. In high school, I thrived in art, metal shop, and wood shop classes, though life eventually led me in other directions and my artistic pursuits were set aside for a time.

In January 2010, during a conversation over a glass of wine, a dear friend handed me a paintbrush and simply said, “Play.” The very next day, I purchased my own painting supplies, and from that moment, creating art became a continuous and deeply fulfilling part of my life. What began as a simple invitation evolved into an ongoing flow of artistic expression, as though years of untapped creativity had finally found its outlet.

The artist community is truly amazing. Being around other artists is motivational and educational. I’m very appreciative of all that other artists have shared with me, so I am trying to “pay it forward” by passing on what I’ve learned and give back by getting involved in the leadership of some of the groups. In “real life”, I have one son, Jason, and two grandsons, Jared and Jakob, and three great-grandsons, Zayn, Jaxson and Kade.