Inspiration
Children’s Books
Growing up, my mom read to my sister and me each night before bed. She circulated the books on our shelves and lovingly recited our favorites, again and again and again. Her nightly reading initiated my love for books.
Following my mom’s example, my husband, boys, and I have made reading a part of our daily routine. We read together. We read independently. We read with anyone around who is willing to share a story – grandparents, friends, pets – Guinea Pigs (Garfield and Calico) or the dog (Dusty).
My boys are my greatest inspiration to write and illustrate children’s picture books of my own. I get story ideas from our time together – things we see, hear, and experience. Creating books about our stories makes them personally meaningful and a form of an artistic memory.
Painting
I have always enjoyed making art! Whether I was coloring at the kitchen counter or enrolled in an art class, I relished the opportunity to be creative, imaginative, and a little wild.
My grandmother, Marjorie, inspired me to create art. She was a unique lady who wore silver jewelry studded with large turquoise stones, kept her long hair pulled back into a ponytail, and made the most delicious butterscotch cookies. She was an avid antique collector and with each visit to her house, a room or hallway had been redecorated. Through and through, Marjorie was an artist from her fashion sense, interior design, and art.
She took painting courses at the Chicago Art Institute and was awarded a scholarship to study art in Paris. For many years she was a commercial artist, drawing ads for furniture stores in Houston and Austin.
Further, my grandmother painted portraits of many family members. Her love for her family was expressed through her paint brush.
My art training
I like to believe that I inherited some of my grandmother’s artistic talent, but I’ve come to realize that most art skills are learned through practice of technique. And so, using Marjorie’s wooden easel dotted in old paint, I keep practicing and taking art classes.
