I took a Community College drawing class in 2009; we used pastels, and I fell in love with the medium. They have such intense color! I love that you apply them directly with your hands: no brush as an intermediary. I started painting regularly a year later, at the age of sixty. It’s been a fascinating experience to be a novice at something at this point in my life, and very satisfying to see my work develop. I now find that I can make paintings that are closer to my inner vision, that better express what I want to say. I have found the art community welcoming, and other artists have been both encouraging and generous with time and information. Recently I was elected vice-president of the Vermont Pastel Society, so I will have an opportunity to give back to the community that has supported me.
I want to express the inner aliveness of things, particularly in the natural world. While I like art that is at least somewhat representational, I am not all that interested in accurate depiction. Rather, what I want to show is the spirit and energy – and even occasionally magic – that is present in every aspect of nature. Since I have started painting, the world looks more beautiful to me. I didn’t know that would happen! Things sometimes appear almost lit from within, and it’s that inner light that I want to convey.
I am a psychologist in my “day job,” although I have cut back my hours to make more room for art….and life! I live in Worcester, VT. Vermont is an endless and glorious source of inspiration for paintings, and I feel very fortunate to be here.
