I am a multi-media artist who has had a long career working in the art publishing trade. In 2020, and at 52, I left my corporate art job to pursue a solo career in visual art and surface pattern design. It's been a scary leap and freelancing is not for the faint of heart, but I have been buoyed by a creative circle of friends and colleagues that have helped me find myself again and hear my artistic voice.
My work is mostly abstract and in a variety of media including acrylics, gouache, and watercolor. I also work digitally and have learned a lot over the past few years to make my body of work as diverse as it is. My work has been described as bold, colorful, graphic, and optimistic. I enjoy creating art that brings joy to people's lives. I tend to work intuitively and on multiple projects at a time. This gives me the freedom to pivot between analog and digital art making along with all the time that needs to be spent in front of a computer.
I love researching trends and remaining open to what's happening culturally. As an artist, it's my job to filter these feelings and respond with artwork that not only reflects but also extracts and channels these moods and anxieties.
I sell original art and prints through my website and minted.com. Here at home, I work with Glavé Kocen Art Consulting, a legacy art dealer in Richmond, Va. I also continue to license work to the wholesale Interior Design, Hospitality, and Furniture trades via art publishers such as Grand Image Ltd, Minted, and World Art Group.
Originally from Alexandria VA, I live and work in Richmond, VA with my filmmaker husband Jim Stramel, and over the years we have collaborated on several film, video, and horror fx projects together. I love helping him make props and make movies. Twentieth-century films are a huge influence on me and my work, especially the Italian horror movies and Giallo's. The set designs and use of color to evoke moods and feelings have been incredibly influential culturally. A lot of this is seen in today's interior design trends.
When I am not in my studio, I can be found in the garden, lurking around First Friday Art Walks, or visiting various thrift stores around town.
One thing I'm passionate about is giving back to my community. By supporting me, you are also supporting several local galleries here in Richmond, VA, to which I donate work or time to regularly. I have also been an instigator when it comes to other causes that mean a lot to me. I have worked on the advisory board of Scrap RVA and was instrumental in bringing them into the Scrap U.S.A. network. I was an early supporting member of the Alliance for a Progressive Virginia. More recently, I helped build the Friends of Wes Freed, a group of folks dedicated to establishing a scholarship fund in the name of the late Richmond visionary artist Wes Freed. We raised nearly $60,000 in less than 9 months to establish the scholarship fund through the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. This fund will support its first student this fall (2024) and last in perpetuity.
See my Process & Capabilities page for the full range of artistic capabilities.