During our monthly Art Crawls at Dilworth Artisan Station, (always the first Friday of each month) I've often been asked: “How do you do abstract art?” or “I've always wanted to learn how to paint.” After the third time this happened, I began to listen to that inner nudge to act on the idea of passing on the wealth of information I've learned from so many wonderful teachers over the past 30 years.   Recently, I had the privilege of teaching two young women a 4-week course in Beginning Abstract Art. They had stopped by the studio one day looking for art for their homes and ..read more

Sometimes, things happen unexpectedly and finally come into clear focus. Yesterday, I went to my studio to rearrange artwork in the hall and clean up the clutter in preparation for the art crawl here at Dilworth Artisan Station. The previous afternoon I'd left a large 36”x48” canvas propped up inside the door, and when I turned on the studio lights it announced:            “I'm finished...that's it, no more!”   Well, you might be thinking that the painting was suggesting it was time to take it to the dumpster. If you only knew the evolution of this piec ..read more

This has been the Year of Transition, 2022....downsizing from our home in the NC mountains; saying farewell to dear friends and comfortable surroundings; relocating to my hometown (now the Big City of Charlotte, NC); living in a hotel for four months while awaiting the completion of our new unit in a Continuing Care Retirement Community; meeting our neighbors and making new friends; getting established in my art studio at Dilworth Artisan Station in South End.   This piece went through similar 'downsizing/relocation/reconstruction/transitioning.' It was one of the ways I purposed to ..read more

Intuitive, process-oriented art draws from the subconscious, allowing the expression of feelings and sensations not easily accessed by the spoken language. During the first half of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic created such fear and uncertainty on a global scale, I was dealing with my own fears and uncertainties following surgery that was taking longer than expected to heal.  Thankfully, in the safety of my art studio, I was able to channel my feelings in productive ways while in 'lockdown' mode.   This painting will appear in the "Full Spectrum" exhibit in September 2020 at Toe Riv ..read more

This image is based on the 'study' (see Study for "On the Marsh") and is a 24" square oil painting done at Butler Studio in Gastonia.  We applied the concept of using the late 1980's abstract expressionistic style using the 'spectrum palette' which adds bold, loud colors in the under painting -- high-key paintings that 'glow' with  risk-taking expressive marks and dashes of color that produce 'wall power.'    The Spectrum Palette has 3 values in each of the primary colors, (e.g. Cad Yellow Light + Cad Yellow Deep + Ochre;  Cad Red+ Alizarin + Burnt Sienna;  and U ..read more

In April 2017 before the leaves started peeking, I took a picture of the N. Toe River from the new bridge at 80 North.  The railroad tracks border the North Toe River Valley and wind through remote areas of this beautiful part of Western North Carolina.  If you come to Spruce Pine, you can see the river and the railroad tracks from downtown's lower street...and also find them along the old Penland Post Office, or at various landings where one can canoe and kayak.   Used to be that trains came through 26 times a day hauling coal from Kentucky, but now we're lucky if we even see ..read more

This piece was my first venture into cold wax and oils.   It measures 24" x 24" and the substrate is on 1.5"  'Encausticbord.'     Building each layer and then scraping through to reveal the underlying colors was fascinating.   Using stencils, marking tools, scrapers and palette knives -  the process to bring the piece to its completion was quite intuitive and very rewarding.     On the final layer I placed my dog, Maggie, (who had just passed away) in the lower left corner.  She spent a lot of time with me in my studio and her memory garden is jus ..read more

Living in Mitchell County, NC is like going to grandmother's house -- over the river and through the woods.  The rural countryside in the county seat of Bakersville has small town charm and big hearted people.   On the way to our family's mountain home we pass this junction at Wing Rd. and Snow Creek Rd.   The old chestnut barn leans with age, its roof is rusted and torn.  It was originally a goat barn and sometimes one can see goats inhabiting it when not grazing on the field above.   A much loved landmark, the old barn is a testame ..read more

    Last winter when driving to the recycling center on Altapass Rd. near Spruce Pine, Mitchell County NC, I passed Soggy Bottom Farms and was compelled to stop and admire the pigs, cows, and  chickens.  Over the past few years, I’ve watched this place grow from a narrow strip of land which now houses several barns and outbuildings. The owners, Lacey and Nathan Stewart, have had a lifelong dream to live off the land and preserve their mountain heritage and culture.  I was invited into the roadside farm shop, and then was given a rare peek inside the heated barn t ..read more