My InspirationI am inspired to create and explore. Being creative is very relaxing and therapeutic and it takes me to another place. Every free moment I get, I escape to my art studio. I am so excited to work with Encaustic for so many reasons. The way the wax flows while using my torch to fuse each layer together, the warmth of the wax, the depth that each layer creates, and the various colors and textures. I am so intrigued by its smooth glossy surface and the unpredictable nature of the medium. I experiment with each individual piece of art until my paintings and sculptures evolve in to beautiful pieces of art. I paint and sculpt with passion and I hope my artwork expresses this to my viewers. |
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My Story – How I became an ArtistI am a native of California and was born and raised in Ventura County. I am a proud mom of three adult sons and a grandma to four beautiful grandkids that I adore very much. As I was growing up, I always enjoyed working on projects that allowed me to be creative. I was always excited to see the-end-results and have always loved a challenge. I had never taken an art class in school because I chose to play the clarinet and be a member of the band for eight years. December 2011, I asked the Lord, “What could I do to supplement my income when I retire in ten years” and He showed me face painting. I have always enjoyed working with children. He knows what is best for me, so I jumped into action and self-taught myself by watching You Tube videos and in three months I learned how to face paint. My face painting business “Creating Smiles from the Heart” became a reality. I face painted for children’s birthday parties, festivals, and volunteered for several non-profit organizations throughout Ventura County for about four years. It was very rewarding to see the kid’s excitement after I finished painting their face. In 2012, I attended several art classes at Ventura and Oxnard College to better my art skills. Late 2015, I decided to try a few different mediums to challenge myself. I tried painting with acrylics, watercolor, pastels and mixed medium to see which one spoke to me the most. I enjoyed acrylic and mixed medium the most. However, my trip to San Luis Obispo in the summer of 2016 changed my heart. In the summer of 2016, I went on a mini trip to San Luis Obispo and decided to visit an art gallery at Avila Beach. This is where I was first introduced to Encaustic painting. When I saw my first encaustic painting, I was immediately intrigued by its smooth and shiny surface. I had never heard about encaustic painting before that moment. I went back to my hotel room for two days and did research about Encaustic painting on the internet and watched YouTube videos of how to paint with encaustic. My heart was filled with excitement to start working with this medium! I purchased the materials that I needed within two weeks and started the learning process. I first started by painting on cards using the iron method. It is a lot of fun! Once I learned this process, I started painting on wood panels. The techniques with this medium are endless! I have taken a few online workshops to learn a variety of techniques by established artists and watched a lot of YouTube videos. I will be attending the annual International Encaustic Conference held in Provincetown, Mass. this June and will attend several workshops at this event to learn new techniques by well established artists. I am so excited to continue to grow and learn more techniques and share my art work with all of you! Being an Artist is truly a gift from God!! I thank Him and give Him all the credit. I pray that my art work will inspire and bless each one of my viewers. |
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