Color and light bring me joy, energy and a sense of optimism. I find inspiration in spending time in beautiful environments, watching sun sparkling on water or the silhouette of a tree against a sunset. Beautiful interiors and gardens, the weather, music or my mood will all end up reflected in my work. My painting energizes and excites me with its endless possibilities of colors, forms and lines. Color is what grabs me when I enter my studio and it is the first thing I consider when starting a new painting. I use a variety of media in my work and am always trying new ones. Before I paint, I often start with gestural drawing using graphite and colorful pastels or brushing washes of color across the canvas with acrylic inks. I love how this first layer can blend with the paint and create variations of color and translucent layers. Motivated by color, my goal is to create work that is uplifting and joyful in its reflection of nature.