The memories of a mountain getaway
manifested in a light and elegant style…
The Mountain Inspires
The foothills of the Rocky Mountains
that surround Boulder are
my daily hiking escape.
My heart quickens when I catch
a glimpse of a bear, moose or other
beautiful animals roaming near the trails.
They display their innate power with a calmness
that is captivating. Completely at ease,
their steps unhurried and deliberate.
The Water Flows
I imagine these creatures drinking
the rain and snow melt that nourish
the surrounding mountain streams.
That same water that flows from my
brush and across the paper, guiding
the earth pigments to take form.
My joy is when I’m able to capture
not just the eyes, fur and antlers, but also
each animal’s majestic or playful spirit.
“Water flows freely, guided by the pulse of life within it. My aim is to harmonize with this organic rhythm by suggesting, not dictating, where the pigment flows. This helps to infuse water's natural vitality in my works.”
Pigments Handmade from the Mountains
On my daily hikes, I always noticed the ochre colors of the rocks under my feet. I wondered if I
could turn these stones into paint?
I became fascinated with the ancient techniques of pigment making. At first I couldn't believe that
such primitive tools and methods could create fine-art paints that compete with our modern
production
technologies. But of course they do! We've discovered cave paintings that are more than 30,000 years
old!
I knew immediately that this slow, intentional process was something special that I wanted to
incorporate into my watercolors.
Making my own paint from the earth is time consuming, but I adore that each pigment is truly unique
and adding these earthy accents direct from the Rocky Mountains into my paintings
connect the art to the land in a very special way.
