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I grew up on a wooded acreage outside the town of Carlisle, Iowa (pop.
3400) with my parents, two sisters, dogs, cats, horses, and wandering ducks and geese. As a child, I began dabbling in arts,
crafts, and cooking to avoid the Midwest's sweltering heat and icy winters. When the weather was nice, I spent a lot of
time playing outside, observing bugs and animals. When the weather was nasty, I played countless hours of board and card games
with my family and friends. My passions for nature, cooking, and games still inspire my art. I
spent a semester of college studying fabric dying, soft sculpture, and art history in Florence, Italy, which reinforced my
love of bright colors, unusual textures, and exotic cuisine. My senior project "Verdura Familia" was a collection
of giant stuffed fabric vegetables and vines. After graduation, I worked as a painter and designer
for Sticks, Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa. Since going out on my own, I have specialized in custom furniture and mural painting.
I moved to Washington State in 2001, after spending many vacations there visiting family while growing up. I love experimenting
with my favorite Northwest themes, such as coffee, mountains, and marine life, in my art. I now split my time between Washington
and Iowa. I draft my designs in sketch books before drawing on furniture or walls. I wood-burn
the furniture designs before painting, which is done in acrylics and followed with several coats of polyeurathane or polycrylic
for durability. I like to design my own furniture, but I also use ready-made, depending on the preferences and budgets of
my clients. I rely on master Northwest wood-workers for most of the pieces I don't build myself, such as jewelry boxes
and mirrors. My sister Kathie helps out with occasional drawing, wood-burning, sanding, polyeurathane/polycrylic application,
and gallery deliveries. We are a company of two, so each piece is truly one-of-a-kind! |
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