As an artist, I’ve wanted to make art more accessible to people. So much resistance to creation comes from this feeling of ‘not being good enough’ or just the silly thought of ‘I’m not an artist’ - but what many do not grasp, that beyond any learned skill, art is an inspired act. ART lies with the courage to act. The best art comes from a surge of an idea, a burst of inspiration and the immediate execution of that idea. The art in between those ideas - the lackluster or seemingly uninspired art is stuff that comes out in between the inspired thoughts turned into something tangible. Sometimes it’s playing with a skill or technique, in search of mastery or at a minimum, understanding. Or it’s learning a new medium. Sometimes it’s just an experiment. And much like a clog to a pipe, all that stuff also needs to come out for things to flow freely.

I love making art with the public and encouraging people to just pick up a brush (pen / pencil / crayon / marker / whatever -) and just place colors or lines down in a way they feel internally guided. Art is very personal; it is a diary of emotion that comes from the depth of our humanity. Art requires bravery to express. It takes courage to be brave, to make art; making art requires one to dip into the inner well of self. Back in 2022, I created this public art project called Emotional Damage, where participants willingly stepped into the depths of themselves, exploring the intricate internal landscape of their emotions within the safety of our co-created container of a private class. Through the mediums of painting and writing I encourage participants to engage with the therapeutic processes of healing.

To get here- to the point of encouraging others and healing- I started many years ago, with a pile of ethically sourced bones. The bones, combined with a host of wild ideas, led to dipping my first toe into the waters of public art. I brought the bones to the public, with paints and encouraged people to just paint. Put paint on the bones in any way you wish. Turning the bones into the giant frame I wanted didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped; turns out resin is expensive and I was a broke single mom. I did my best at the time, no regrets.

Creating art for long term public display is something I have continued to pursue. To date, I have participated in a few different projects that are on display long term, indefinitely or are in use by the public. My recent contribution to Artful Transformation (2025) is on display indefinitely in Whitewater, WI. You can find my work for Vibrant Hydrant in Monona, WI on display until 2032. And one of the most interactive- a cat cut-out board for Redner’s Rescued Cat Figurine Mewseum- is on display whenever they are open & at public events.