1. Your stories/memories are personal. What do you think about viewers
bringing their own interpretation to your paintings?

I find it encouraging! I love hearing unique perspectives and how viewers interpret the work.  My goal is to create art that evokes feeling and sparks conversation. While many of my paintings are inspired by my experience in motherhood, a viewer may relate to the colors, composition, or  abstract markings in their own beautiful way.

2. How do you overcome creative blocks?

I use a few different tools when I'm feeling a creative block. I may stick to my sketchbook for a night to keep consistent with my creative process, without applying pressure to produce a grand idea yet.  I find sketching composition thumbnails often leads to a newly inspired work.  Other times, I will paint something for fun - for my husband or kids.  Lastly, I may focus energy on prepping canvases and create an abstract underpainting.  This serves as a great warm up, and often provides enough "release" to make way for new, focused brushstrokes.

3. What is your biggest inspiration?

I am inspired by nature, loved ones, and maternal figures.  While I primarily paint florals, I may be inspired by a landscape scene on my walk that impacts the composition of my abstract markings later on.  I am continuously taking photos of family, friends or greenery - sometimes I'm instantly inspired to paint a subject, other times an idea slowly evolves. In my art practice, my children, and their curiosity, inspire me - As Pablo Picasso said, "Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain one once you've grown up." 

4. How does your art affect other aspects of your life?

Art has become woven into other parts of my life.  It's created a different conversation with my children, as they ask about my process or suggest ideas.  As an artist with a full time day job in healthcare, art has allowed me an essential creative outlet.

Learn more about this artist:

Available artwork

Radio Maine podcast interview #138

"4 Questions"