MY JOURNEY
My love for art started at a very young age, growing up in Michigan City, Indiana. I was captivated watching my Grandfather doodle on scraps of paper as we played board games with the family. My mother was also a very talented artist, but never had the opportunity to cultivate her talents beyond the occasional night art class in between raising four kids and working full-time. Clearly, they were the genes of my artistic talent.
I feel lucky to have grown up in a time when the arts programs were thriving and still a part of the U.S. school system. They provided an outlet for me to explore my love of art at an early age. It was during those years and through the encouragement from my art teachers, that I realized I had a talent I excelled at. Most kids were either academically or athletically gifted, but my talents laid elsewhere…in the arts.
After high school, I knew my only path was art-focused, so I enrolled at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, not really knowing where it would lead. While attending the Academy, I was extremely fortunate to receive watercolor instruction from the late Irving Shapiro. His classes ignited my passion for watercolor and the love of this medium. But I also knew I needed to balance my love of fine art with the financial security of a job, so my focus shifted to graphic arts and advertising.
After graduating from the Academy, I secured a job as an Art Director for an ad agency in Chicago. A few years later, I relocated to an agency in Los Angeles. I was their SVP, Creative Services for 32 years and subsequently ventured out on my own as a Freelance Creative Director.
It was in Los Angeles where I met Sean, my life-partner of 30 years (and now husband). Together we raised his two children. During those years my fine art pursuits took a back seat to a full-time job, raising the kids and seeing them through school, college and living out on their own. My only artistic outlet was the occasional school art project when the kids needed a little help or creating posters and graphics for their school events.
It wasn’t until we became “empty-nesters” that my rediscovery of watercolor came about. Ironically, it was when I discovered my palette, brushes, and art box filled with watercolors tucked away in the garage. These hadn’t been touched since art school. It was in that moment when my passion was reignited. I dusted them off and jumped back into rediscovering the world of watercolor…almost 40 years later.
A TIME TO REDISCOVER
My rediscovery of watercolor began in 2015. Although I had my old materials, I knew I had much to brush up on. I tried to paint whenever I could. I found that I couldn’t wait to get home from work, so I could paint, sketch, practice color mixing… anything having to do with watercolor.
That was when I created my watercolor Instagram page and started sharing my paintings. At first, I was constantly critiquing my work, but found a group of supportive and like-minded artists whose encouragement and positive feedback gave me confidence to post more, and to continue my watercolor journey. As I’ve stated in some of my posts… “Regardless of whether you feel your painting is good or bad, you always learn something from the process, so just go with it and explore.”
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
I continue to take classes, both in-person and online and look forward to attending more workshops in the future. There is still so much to learn. Regarding my inspirations, those come from just about anything. Anything that moves me or has special meaning; locations from my childhood hometown on Lake Michigan to destinations from our world travels. I especially love Italy and am looking forward to heading back there in September with travel palette and sketchbook in hand. I also draw inspiration from nature and scenic spots all around Southern California. You just need to look around. There’s inspiration everywhere.
FINAL WORDS
I’d like to leave you with a few words, not my words, but those of Andy Warhol. I find them motivating and inspiring… especially when I’m overly-critical of my own work. These are words I try to live by.
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~ Andy Warhol