About
Since my childhood on the east coast of Florida, I've doodled and dabbled in art of some form. My formal visual art education is in photography, a degree that led me to a job in Paris, where I lived for 7 years. During that time, my doodles became more polished and I began selling illustrations for commercial and publishing use. I later moved to larger figurative paintings which turned into even larger abstracts. I continue to do both small-scale illustrations and abstract mixed media paintings.
After my time in Paris followed by a few years in Los Angeles, I picked a spot on the map and randomly made my way to Austin, where I've been 'keeping it weird' for 20 years, with some amazing pit-stops in Tampa and Portland, Maine.
I am also a French instructor and I hold a Masters in French literature & linguistics from the University of South Florida. I am a romantic, idealist & dreamer, all things which influence my work. My illustrations have been featured in publications in Europe and the US, and you may have seen my abstract paintings at the Austin Studio Tour or many coffee shops, yoga studios, co-working spaces, office lobbies, or furniture/decor stores in Austin, TX, Tampa, FL, and beyond...
inspiration & process
Though I have education in design and color theory through my photography degree, I do not have a formal fine art education and I am completely self taught in drawing and painting. I began illustrating small characters in gouache on paper first, inspired by the cheerfully goth and wonderful Tim Burton and Edward Gorey and later by French fashion illustrator Izak Zenou. Whimsy, color, and humor (and long luxurious hair!) factor largely in my illustrations and figurative paintings.
Abstract work is very therapeutic for me and I feel a constant pull toward the combination of colors I see in nature, decor, art, or anywhere really. My abstract work varies with my mood and with style trends. Seeing a striking color blend in nature or in a room (or in art) literally makes me giddy. I try to transfer that giddy-ness when combining my colors on a canvas together. When I begin a painting, the only thing I know for sure is what colors I will use. I work with brushes, paint knives, and random kitchen tools I’ve appropriated for painting.
Most of my abstract work is acrylic on canvas. Some is on repurposed wood, sometimes I paste old book pages in the background, and some have resin coating if I feel that works with the piece. Details on each painting on this site are provided in the gallery section.
I also love to do custom work, so if you have an empty wall or an idea (or if you need help coming up with an idea) Let's talk. Click here to learn more about requesting a commission.
If you'd like to feature my work in your business, purchase a piece, or discuss a commission, I'd love to hear from you.
