I am an artist, a mother, and an entrepreneur. I'm passionate about music and color and seek to convey the transformative power of music through my paintings. My artwork and tutorials have been regularly featured in Cloth Paper Scissors and Cloth Paper Scissors PAGES magazines. I am following my passions and creating art that I love for the sheer joy of it! I hope it resonates with you as well.
Exciting news! My self-portrait, 'Music Was My First Love' won the juried 2021 Billboard Contest sponsored by Fine Art America, and is featured on a giant billboard in Houston, Texas. If you see it, let me know.
For a glimpse behind-the-scenes and to see more of my artwork, including my newest pieces, works in progress, tutorials and more, please visit my blog at:
https://BookSmithStudio.comI love meeting fellow artists and art lovers! Join me on
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In 2013 I was awarded the FAA Artistic Merit Award, fondly referred to as the 'Tony Award.' I am truly honored to be recognized by my peers for my artistic talents!
I believe music and art have the power to move and inspire; to change the way we see the world. My award winning Music Lovers series combines my passions for music, art and self-expression in a signature style uniquely my own. I've had so much fun creating this series, everything from brainstorming ideas, photography, and getting my hands dirty creating mixed-media backgrounds, textures and elements, to working with the digital techniques that bring it all together. There are no shortcuts or magic buttons; each piece is built up layer by layer and stroke by stroke. I've been told (more than once) that you can hear the music when you look at the artwork in this series; I certainly do. They are perfect for any music lover or musician!
As a natural extension of this series, I am creating a Dance-inspired series using the same signature style. After all, when I hear music my body moves and my spirits lift. Dancing is often inevitable!
Of course, like any mixed-media artist my interests do not stop there. I am passionate about creating hand-made, one-of-a-kind artist books. I experiment with a variety of materials and processes in my art. I also teach and write tutorials to share my techniques with other artists. One of many tutorials published in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine demonstrates how I create my award winning 'Wee Planets.' I discovered Wee Planets as an art form several years ago and fell in love. It is a way of viewing a rural or urban scene as a mini world unto itself, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and unexpected. You can imagine yourself exploring a whole new planet with no rules except those you write yourself.
Escape. Dream. Believe.
