I’ve always referred to my art as “therapy on canvas” , in a half-joking sort of way…but not really. When I don’t paint…when I am not creating, I am dying. Not that I am a depressed kind of person, really, but I truly begin to feel like I head in that general direction if I am not doing my work.

When I created my first actual “series” of paintings (meaning a grouping of work that speaks to one common theme), I realized that every single piece in that series was not only a “self-portrait” (they looked nothing like me, but they were clear expressions of myself), but they absolutely told the story of a specific event from my life. I could clearly place myself IN each piece, and essentially relive the event, but from a very safe and healthy place. This was therapeutic… cathartic…. healing.

It was a magical revelation for me to discover that my work- that which I love so so much to do- is a vehicle to achieve optimal health and clarity and peace!

Ok, that sounds like infomercial material. But honestly, I have to say, I am grateful that my career has taken me to a place where everyday that I clock in, I am assured a bit of spiritual growth.

This past year has been one of my most difficult. I’ve been faced with more loss than I thought I could cope with, and my sense of identity has been challenged to its core. I truly thought I had reached a point in life where I could just coast for a little while, but then my very foundation was not just shaken…it was destroyed. I was completely blind-sided and utterly unprepared.

It’s been a tremendous feat for me to continue my growth through all of it. I have had to go back and reexamine everything, and rebuild my identity, and to say it’s not been easy would be a big understatement.

So I go back to the discussion of my work, and what goes into every piece that I create, and how it has helped me on this journey. It has undoubtedly been helping me to recover from my life’s traumas and triumphs, but it has also been a great challenge for me to find methods of conveying the things I am trying to say. Every layer of paint, every thick glob of color, every scratch and every bit of texture has meaning. There is no element that is not completely deliberate.

My work is expressive and emotional, and there is no piece that leaves my studio that isn’t truly connected to my heart. Every piece has its own story, and every piece helps me to grow and nurture my spirit.

I am grateful for everything that my work gives me, but I am even more grateful to be able to share what I hold so dear with the world. I think THAT is what heals me more than anything else.

Some people paint pretty pictures, and some people create works to provoke. I just work from my heart. …..and it heals me.