Born and raised in northeast Ohio, I attained a B.A. in Studio Art at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. While there I concentrated in drawing and ceramics. I have also completed courses in pottery, drawing, and graphic design.
I began to use encaustic wax medium in 2018 and immediately fell in love with the artform. As a matter of fact, the first encaustic work I ever saw in person was my own. Using both heat and beeswax was, to me, an obvious connection to my background in ceramics. While I can control many aspects of what I create with melted beeswax, the end results are often out of my control. Versatility and the element of surprise in my work always keeps me challenged and interested.
The beauty and patterns found in the natural world are endless, magical muses. I grew up in rural northeast Ohio, where my entertainment often included walks in woods and meadows and wading in the pond. A unique collection of photos and artifacts from my ancestors also serves to aid and inspire much of my work. I have always gravitated to fairy tales, enchanted forests, Hobbit houses, and the like. My work is most gratifying when it emits an otherworldly feeling while maintaining a foundation of realism.
I donate at minimum, 10% of my business profits to the local National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). I hope to help those in my community who are affected by mental illness.
