My first exposure to painting began when I was in 6^th grade from an artist that went to my church in Germany, Jenny Birch.  She gave me lessons in watercolor. Her love for painting was one reason I decided to study art in college.  In the art department at Western State College of Colorado (WSC) I was able to study other artists and develop my own style more fully.  In May of 2010, I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting after displaying a senior art exhibit at the WSC gallery.          

Most of what I represent in my art is very common to what we might see everyday.  Architecture: it’s all around us…we live in it.  Architecture is so common, that sometimes the artistic qualities get overlooked.  A lot of architecture is solely utilitarian.  It protects us from the wind and keeps us warm and dry in the rain.  By looking closer, however, you might just see something worthwhile.  I see character in old buildings that have survived to tell their stories with their dents and crooked floors. These are the glimpses that I want to communicate. 

Growing up in Germany has made a tremendous impact on my life and my art.  I have recently realized that the historical landmarks that I would wearily trudge through on family vacations were, in fact, things to be treasured, and they left an impression on me.  Stepping into an old building was like stepping back in time and getting lost in the moment.  Walking through palaces and castles made me wonder how they were made or who lived in them. Overall, the buildings marked a spot in history that sparked my imagination.  I intend for my paintings to spark the viewer’s imagination and draw the viewer into another time by truly experiencing the places we so often overlook.