I graduated at the Art Academy in San Francisco Ca. with two BFA degrees in art, one degree in advertising and one in illustration back in 1983. A few years after school, I decided to relocate up to the foothills in the early 1990s, to Nevada County to be exact, and continued doing my art.
Now my art has progressed to different interests, where my style has become more loose, more colorful. Generally my style is a combination of impressionism/expressionism with realism. I like to use dramatic lighting if possible. I also love to "push" the color. The medium I use is primarily pastels, and some acrylics, I found that selling my art at street shows was the way to go too. At the time I created lots of westerns, and landscapes. I did this for several years. At one point I decided to take a long break from my art. I no longer enjoyed doing the arts and craft shows. After a decade I'm now making up for lost time!! All the art in this site has been created within this last year starting at 11/2010 (with the exception of "early paintings.") The month of Dec. 2011 marks one full year. Smile.
I find that creating custom pet portraits give me the most satisfaction. I've always been good at drawing and painting cats and dogs, cows and pigs even as a young kid! I still have a book of cats that I created when I was 10. As an adult, I enjoy creating them even more. I try to catch the essence of the animal and bring it to life on paper or board by putting the emotions/feelings into the picture I'm creating!
The icing on the cake for me, is knowing I can help preserve the image of a customer's animal forever, in a painting and making you feel elated upon seeing your pet.
I also love seeing the painting come alive!I also like playing with colors using a palette knife while painting on location.
Many people say to me: "you catch the feeling of people's pets in art". Check it out!
Now I have my pastels, and acrylic art at half a dozen different vets in Grass Valley and Nevada City, as well as participate in group and one woman shows such as: the Kennedy Gallery in Sacramento May-June for their annual 20/20 show 2012. 25, 8x8 paintings in their show! Won honorable mention. Currently I am at 107 Catherine Grass Valley, over 20 paintings in this show thru. Aug 31st 2012. And a one woman show at: Yuba Sutter Regional Art Gallery 624 E St. in Marysville thru July 13th 2012. This is a must see, 35 originals here! My main medium is pastels, and acrylics. Sometimes I like to really go off and do some whimsical paintings. My main subject matter are animal/pet portraits and farm animals. eg: cats, dogs, cows, pigs horses.
Animals speak to me. And alive they come in the studio!
Joey! This painting is only 8x10 inches!
This could be your photo! 
Sophia and Bailey
