It is my belief that creative expression makes life worth living. Ideally, one should express it every day, and an excellent method is through drawing and painting. That’s where I come in.
I would describe my teaching style as traditional. I encourage students to discover more about their subject matter, not just “draw what they see.”
Creating artwork is like learning a new language. It requires time and effort, but with that comes not only new skills, it opens new windows to the world. It is my responsibility to help guide and inspire the student through their journey. No two people travel the same route or at the same speed- and it is for this reason that I love to be a part of someone’s individual creative journey.
It is fulfilling to see improvements in “wrist skills” after a bit of practice, but the real joy for me is when the “artistic brain” awakens and the student begins to see the world as an artist sees it- noticing interplay of light and shadow, developing heightened awareness of details and patterns and finding inspiration in the ordinary.
I come from a family of artists. My mother’s art is well known in East Texas and my son is currently attending my alma mater majoring in painting. My BFA was from Stephen F Austin State University with an emphasis in figure drawing, art history and advertising design. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to express my artistic talents through careers ranging from company branding, producing art for wine labels, illustrating books, curating artist’s portfolios, judging art competitions, working as an interior designer, to private student teaching. With each, what has helped me succeed and consequently been most fulfilling is building connections with people. With teaching in particular, I have the unique opportunity to ignite students’ passion, guide their direction and hopefully have a lasting and positive impact.