Inspired by nature, geometry (All Hail Fibonacci!) and the flora, fauna, geology, and history of the southwest, I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada, and was soaked in the smell of creosote rain and the raw beauty of infinitely colored rock mountains, cotton candy skies, and secret riparian treasures. The youngest of nine children, I grew up with sewing, baking, woodworking, gardening, paint by numbers, popsicle stick sculptures, and paper mâché. Nothing gives me more joy than being absorbed in something creative and indulging all my obsessions with color, shapes, and whimsical humor.
My main work currently is upcycling distinctive furniture accents, stripping them down and discovering hidden beauty, like unwrapping a gift. I especially love pieces that have a little antique flavor that often reveal beautiful grains hidden beneath bland factory finishes. I imagine pioneers and the hardy early settlers of the southwest bringing fancy European furniture with them in trains or tucked in wagons and watching them weather and peel in the harsh desert climate. Like the people of the west, the dings and imperfections of time contribute to the story of the piece. The resulting seasoning of the wood is my favorite canvas for painting bright exclamations of what is striking about the desert southwest – showy flowers, ocotillo stalks, prickly pear, horned lizards, gila monsters, roadrunners, or dramatic shadowy canyons.
As an undergrad at the University of Notre Dame, I spent a year in Rome, Italy. I was riveted by the Byzantine and Roman mosaics, and I almost lost my mind when I visited Spain and encountered the art and architecture of Gaudi. The organic curves of the Art Nouveau style and his bright, broken ceramics are embedded in my soul. I graduated with a BA in Graphic Design and Italian.
I believe strongly in the power of the mind and intention to materialize as experience and so I give my energy to creating objects that make me feel happy and make other people feel happy too. After a devastating personal loss in 2020, I re-committed myself to creating and not only have I rediscovered myself, but I have connected with other creators and people who love art. To me that is the core of being – to self-actualize and find community and not be afraid to push through the dark doorways of the unfamiliar to grow into something new and totally delightful.
