ABOUT ME
BIO
I have been passionate about art since I was a little girl. I have explored many mediums including drawing, watercolor, oils, acrylic, ceramics, paper media, encaustic wax, mixed media, photography and jewelry. I started sharing my passion at craft bazaars when I was sixteen and began selling jewelry online in 2005 through Etsy. My art endeavors paused for several years while my husband and I sold everything we had, quit our jobs, and spent the next 5 years rebuilding, living aboard, and cruising on a sailboat on the Gulf coast. After my permanent return to Oregon, I began to explore new mediums and transitioned my jewelry craft to fiber arts. I have since further expanded my art journey to include oil painting, sewing primitive folk-art dolls and creating art books.
FELTING
After decades of exploring various art mediums, I discovered the fiber art world in 2011 and became enamored with the texture and warmth of wool. I fell madly in love with being able to create paintings with wool and needles. My earlier painting skills transitioned easily to this new medium as I layered and sculpted the wool into wall art. I began sharing my felted wool art at various local fiber art shows and soon expanded to fine art, juried shows, gallery representation, and multiple online platforms, winning top awards in fiber art shows and juried fine art exhibits. I started teaching "Painting with Wool" in 2017 and found a new and rewarding avenue to share my passion.
Wildlife and nature are my focus in my felted wool paintings. I have always been drawn to nature and animals and was excited that the texture and warmth of wool was portraying the wildlife so beautifully. Each new piece brings about a learning experience and discovery for what the wool can do and how I can layer the colored wools to accomplish new ways of portraying the color in the eyes, fur and movement of animals and the dance and depth of clouds and water. The most rewarding experience of the felted wool paintings is when someone discovers felted wool for the first time through my art. I love to watch the wonder develop and the excitement rise when people fall in love with a piece that calls to them.
Framing Felts:
With Glass:
Find a frame that is thicker or has a double mat so the thick felt will fit. You can also mount it into a shadow box which also retrains the texture of the needle felted wool. It's best to have a spacer between the fiber and the glass so the fiber can breathe.
Without Glass:
This retains the texture of the fiber to the fullest. Your options for frames is wider since you don't have to fit the glass in the frame. I prefer it framed this way but it will possibly need special care if left exposed to dust over time. See below for care instructions.
Fiber Care Instructions
If your felted piece is hangs without glass, dust may cling to the fibers. You can use a vacuum nozzle with a nylon sock fitted over it and splay your fingers over the top of that and then you can safely vacuum without pulling out the fibers.
OIL
I have been steadily painting with oils for the last 8 years. I began using brushes as most artists start out with but quickly fell in love with the palette knife. I began participating in local plein air events (painting outdoors, onsite). Painting with palette knives has been become a passion. It creates a vibrancy, movement, and texture to my paintings which I love to share with others. I also am drawn toward painting pet portraits and portraits of people in addition to landscapes and wildlife.
OTHER CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS
I have recently taken up illustration with pen and ink and greater detailed watercolors that focus on nature and ecology. I feel blessed to be able to explore so many different art mediums and find a passion in each one that feeds my artistic soul and the love of art in others when I share it.
I have been passionate about art since I was a little girl. I have explored many mediums including drawing, watercolor, oils, acrylic, ceramics, paper media, encaustic wax, mixed media, photography and jewelry. I started sharing my passion at craft bazaars when I was sixteen and began selling jewelry online in 2005 through Etsy. My art endeavors paused for several years while my husband and I sold everything we had, quit our jobs, and spent the next 5 years rebuilding, living aboard, and cruising on a sailboat on the Gulf coast. After my permanent return to Oregon, I began to explore new mediums and transitioned my jewelry craft to fiber arts. I have since further expanded my art journey to include oil painting, sewing primitive folk-art dolls and creating art books.
FELTING
After decades of exploring various art mediums, I discovered the fiber art world in 2011 and became enamored with the texture and warmth of wool. I fell madly in love with being able to create paintings with wool and needles. My earlier painting skills transitioned easily to this new medium as I layered and sculpted the wool into wall art. I began sharing my felted wool art at various local fiber art shows and soon expanded to fine art, juried shows, gallery representation, and multiple online platforms, winning top awards in fiber art shows and juried fine art exhibits. I started teaching "Painting with Wool" in 2017 and found a new and rewarding avenue to share my passion.
Wildlife and nature are my focus in my felted wool paintings. I have always been drawn to nature and animals and was excited that the texture and warmth of wool was portraying the wildlife so beautifully. Each new piece brings about a learning experience and discovery for what the wool can do and how I can layer the colored wools to accomplish new ways of portraying the color in the eyes, fur and movement of animals and the dance and depth of clouds and water. The most rewarding experience of the felted wool paintings is when someone discovers felted wool for the first time through my art. I love to watch the wonder develop and the excitement rise when people fall in love with a piece that calls to them.
Framing Felts:
With Glass:
Find a frame that is thicker or has a double mat so the thick felt will fit. You can also mount it into a shadow box which also retrains the texture of the needle felted wool. It's best to have a spacer between the fiber and the glass so the fiber can breathe.
Without Glass:
This retains the texture of the fiber to the fullest. Your options for frames is wider since you don't have to fit the glass in the frame. I prefer it framed this way but it will possibly need special care if left exposed to dust over time. See below for care instructions.
Fiber Care Instructions
If your felted piece is hangs without glass, dust may cling to the fibers. You can use a vacuum nozzle with a nylon sock fitted over it and splay your fingers over the top of that and then you can safely vacuum without pulling out the fibers.
OIL
I have been steadily painting with oils for the last 8 years. I began using brushes as most artists start out with but quickly fell in love with the palette knife. I began participating in local plein air events (painting outdoors, onsite). Painting with palette knives has been become a passion. It creates a vibrancy, movement, and texture to my paintings which I love to share with others. I also am drawn toward painting pet portraits and portraits of people in addition to landscapes and wildlife.
OTHER CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS
I have recently taken up illustration with pen and ink and greater detailed watercolors that focus on nature and ecology. I feel blessed to be able to explore so many different art mediums and find a passion in each one that feeds my artistic soul and the love of art in others when I share it.
Awards
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September 2024
August 2024 August 2024 December 2023 June 2023 June 2021 August 2016 2015 2015 September 2015 September 2014 |
Maritime Exhibit Coos Art Museum- Nati'lJuried
Lane County Fair Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out UVAA 12x12 Show- Oregon Society of Artists-Juried OSU's College of Forestry "Windblown" Movable Book Society Paper Engineering Int'l Awards Lane County Fair Light Space and Time Online Exhibit Springfield Mayor's Art Show Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival |
"Director's Choice Award" (oil)
Two 2nds (Oil) and two 3rds (oil/felt) Gallery's Pick (Oil) 2nd (Felt) Best in Show, (Felt) Honorable Mention-Emerging Artists Division (Book) 1st (Felt) Special Award (Felt) Special Recognition Award (Felt) 1st2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th (Felt) 1st with Judge's Choice / 3rd / 4th / 5th (Felt) |
Memberships and Representations
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Emerald Art Center
Maude Kerns Art Center Umpqua Valley Arts Association Eugene Saturday Market Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI) Imagination Gallery Forinash Gallery Backstreet Gallery Plein Air Painters of Lane County Plein Air Painters of Oregon American Society of Marine Artists BEING REVISED........
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2013-2018/2025-Present
2015-2017, 2023 2023-Present 2013-Present 2022-Present 2017-2018 2015-2016 2024-Present 2022 Present 2024-Present 2025-Present |
Exhibitions
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SOLO EXHIBITS
Cafe Sheilagh Eugene Textile Center Oregon Pain Clinic Emerald Art Center Eugene Textile Center Willamette Valley Cancer Institute Oregon Pain Clinic Imagine It Framed |
On display Gallery Exhibit On display Featured Gallery Exhibit Gallery Exhibit On display On display Friday Art Walk Exhibit |
2012 2016 2017 2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 |
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ART FESTIVALS OPEN
2013 Black Sheep Gathering Oregon Flock and Fiber 2014 Black Sheep Gathering Oregon Flock and Fiber 2015 Black Sheep Gathering Oregon Flock and Fiber ART FESTIVALS JURIED 2014 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market 2015 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market 2016 Maude Kern's Art & the Vineyard NW Art & Air Festival Art By the Bay 2017 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market 2018 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market 2019 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market Cottage Grove Art Show 2021 Eugene Saturday Holiday Market 2022 Eugene Holiday Market 2023 Eugene Holiday Market 2024 Eugene Holiday Market 2025 Roseburg Summer Art Festival GROUP EXHIBITS OPEN
2013 Lane County Fair Springfield Mayor's Art Show 2014 Celebrate Arts! Oregon Flock and Fiber Art Competition Coos Art Museum Biennial Oregon Open Art Show 2015 Oregon Flock and Fiber Art Competition Springfield Mayor's Art Show Salon Du Peuple 2016 Lane County Fair Monthly Member Gallery Exhibit 2017 Annual Art Guild Art Sale Monthly Member Gallery Exhibit 2018 Monthly Member Gallery Exhibit McKenzie Art Guild Holiday Show 2019 TBD 2020 No Shows. - COVID 2021 TBD 2022 TBD 2023 TBD GROUP EXHIBIT JURIED 2025 Asian Celebration of Art Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out 2024 Asian Celebration of Art Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out National Emerald Spring Show 2023 Asian Celebration of Art Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out 2022 Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out 2021 Umpqua Valley Plein Air Paint Out CLASS/WORKSHOP HISTORY
Adult Needle Felting Class (4 classes) Children's Wet Felting Workshop (1 class) Adult Needle Felting Workshop Adult Needle Felting Workshop Adult Needle Felting Workshop Adult Needle Felting Workshop |
Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts) Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts) Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts) Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts) Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts)Guest in Booth at Fiber Art Festival (Felts) Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth at Outdoor Art Festival Booth at Outdoor Art Festival Booth at Outdoor Art Festival Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor-Select Artists Show Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth Indoor Handmade Market Booth at Outdoor Art Festival Lane County Events Center Emerald Art Center Florence Events Center Clackamas County Events Center Coos Art Museum New Zone Gallery Clackamas County Events Center Emerald Art Center New Zone Gallery Lane County Events Center Emerald Art Center McKenzie Art Guild Emerlad Art Center Emerald Art Center Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Umpqua Valley Arts Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Umpqua Valley Arts Springfield, OR Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Umpqua Valley Arts Eugene Textile Center Emerald Art Center Eugene Textile Center Eugene Textile Center Eugene Textile Center Eugene Textile Center |
Eugene, OR Canby, OR \ Eugene, OR Canby, OR Eugene, OR Canby, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Albany, OR Winchester Bzy, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Cottage Grove, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Eugene, OR Roseburg, OR 4 classes throughout 2017
2017 March 2024 September 2024 March 2025 June 2025 |
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