From the Archives: First Sketches

Some artists can draw/paint whatever is in their head without a source to reference from. I have always wished I could do that. But I have a different talent in that anything I see, I can replicate. Almost always I have a source reference when I paint. Sometimes I have a dream, and then proceed to paint what I recall from the dream the night before. If its a dream or something I have in mind, I usually piece together a collage from random images to use as a reference and then mash it up into my own interpretation when I create it by hand in paint or graphite.

The sketches below were my first freehand realism sketches. I did these all three in a single night in High School when I couldn’t sleep. I had never sketched realism before… sometimes miracles happen and cool stuff just comes out of nowhere. I love those moments. 🙂

Enjoy! ‘Baby of Mine’ is for sale at my store: here.

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About the Artist

I am an advocate first, and an artist second. My paintings create visual comfort-- spaces where grief, hope, and healing can live together without apology...

I paint what matters most: the people you cherish, the moments that shaped you, the feelings that need witness. Through art, your most precious memories move outside of you and into your home, where they can be held, seen, and never forgotten.

My work is rooted in three commitments: honoring the experiences of indigenous communities and the history of the land we inhabit; creating safe space for children and women whose voices have been silenced; and recording the honest truth of lived experience-- both my own and that of those who came before me. I believe art has the power to tell stories that words alone cannot, and to preserve what must not be lost or forgotten. I believe that all that we know about ourselves is because Art has preserved those stories throughout history, outliving those who created it.

When you encounter my work, I hope you find yourself in it-- not as escape, but as recognition. I hope it reminds you that your feelings matter, that your story deserves to be held, and that compassion and truth are still worth carrying forward.

Art is the voice that speaks honestly through the heart. 💝🪷