I grew up in Washington State and have been a muralist for over three years as I write this. I enjoy the freedom of expression and creativity that a blank wall provides, and the journey that each project takes me on. Each work is a unique and special experience that I hope are as exciting and powerful for my clients as they are for me. I also work with clients on color consulting and decorative painting, and have seen my medium expand from bedroom walls to the sides of buildings and on to canvas.

No matter what the project, I draw much of my inspiration from my many travels abroad in my late teens and early twenties. I spent three months working in an orphanage in Hong Kong, an experience that touched me deeply. The orphanage was part of a program for teenage mothers, teaching them life skills and caring for their children once they were born. It was here that I learned the true meaning of love and compassion, and that there really is hope for all people, no matter how small they are.

While my time in Hong Kong was deeply touching, the two years I spent traveling throughout Brazil was life-changing. Again I spent time working in an orphanage caring for children, and letting them teach me about love, kindness, and how to speak Portuguese. I also journeyed extensively throughout the country, backpacking my way through Brazil in search of . well really in search of nothing more definite than new experiences. The Brazilian landscape was breathtaking and is still with me today in many of my murals. The native and Portuguese cultures have intertwined to create a unique and beautiful culture, with amazing architecture, history, and art. Most importantly, the people of Brazil are warm and colorful, and their spirit and verve is infectious.

I've always had an artistic dispensation; curiosity and color have always called my name. I started painting when I returned from Brazil. I took a job working part time part-time for a large painting company based in North Bend, WA on top of being a nanny. I learned a tremendous amount about interior painting and all the details, tricks, and trade secrets that go into a professional job. After working on new construction for a couple years, (and being limited to "five different colors of white") color knocked on my door. I answered and went to work for a company that specialized in repainting homes, especially for owners who were tired of all those white walls they got with their new home. This step in my career not only expanded my color palette and, it also enabled me to interact with clients in their homes and learn how to build professional relationships with each client.

Yet I couldn't stop there; I wanted to be able help clients choose their color palette and help make their interior design visions come to life beyond solid colors. So I learned to do faux and decorative painting in my spare time and worked with other professionals who taught me how to work with and select colors to match interior spaces. I also began to produce more artistic pieces on canvas and paper, unleashing and learning how to direct all of my experiences and travels onto a blank canvas through paint.

One day, a friend of mine who runs a remodeling company in Redmond inquired if I would paint a mural in their son's bedroom. While I questioned their sanity for asking me, my friend insisted that since I knew how to paint a wall and I knew how to paint on a canvas, merging the two should be easy. They wanted a train theme with all of the walls, doors, trim, and even ceiling used as the canvas. Although they gave me complete artistic freedom and total trust, I was intimidated and mortified by the scope of the commission. A free-form sponge effect is one thing; a train engine is a tad more complicated. Naturally I stalled for over three months, never committing or declining the offer. I awoke from a dream one night, in which I had been painting the boy's bedroom door like the back of a caboose, and knew that it was time to say “yes.”

I began working on the mural the very next day and haven't looked back since. Shortly after the train mural was complete I got a call from a client who had seen pictures of the train mural; and the rest is history. The next thing I knew I had no time to work for anyone else and was booking projects months in advance.

Since that first train I have been producing murals, doing color consultations, and completing decorative and interior painting non-stop. I've even worked on some commercial projects, including the side of a building! Through all this I have continued to work on canvas, using acrylics, oils and pastels. I even finally decided to take an oil painting class to help take my experiences further on canvas. One day I hope to travel again and create murals in orphanages around the world, giving back the color, warmth, and love that those children have given to me.

In the meantime, I enjoy working with each of my clients to provide more than just a décor for their homes. Helping them fulfill their visions and take new journeys in spaces they thought they already knew. Give me a call today and let's open the colors of your imagination.