The Early Years
I have been making things with my hands for as long as I can remember. I enjoyed making crafts in Girl Scouts, and art class was always my favorite period at school. I loved it so much I even signed up for art classes in the summer, when most kids were happy to have a break from anything school related.
I’m an only child, so a lot of my childhood was spent entertaining myself, and making things was how I did it. Drawing, journaling, making friendship bracelets. If there were supplies within reach, I was using them for something.
Becoming A Mother
That instinct to create followed me into adulthood. Before I was in digital marketing, I was a stay-at-home mom and part-time preschool teacher, and those years were full of crafts and art projects, just in a different form. Glue and glitter and finger paint instead of watercolor, but the same desire to make something with my hands and encourage others to enjoy art.
As my son got older and I was no longer making child crafts, I started making gifts for friends and family with my Cricut machine and crochet. Custom t-shirts, baby loveys, handmade greeting cards…little gifts that say I made this for you specifically. I think people appreciate the thought and effort that goes into a handmade gift and I enjoy their reaction when they say, ” you MADE this?!!”
Becoming An Empty Nester
Now it’s just my husband, Jimmy, our dog, and me at home. Our kids are grown and out of the house, so we’re empty nesters now, and if I’m being honest, that has been a bigger shift than I expected. Add in perimenopause, and last year I found myself with more time on my hands and a lot more going on in my head than I was used to.
Watercolor is what I turned to. In December I sat down to make a few Christmas cards, just something simple and homemade for family. My mom and I love birds, so I attempted to paint a cardinal for her from a tutorial. It was harder than I thought! That prompted me to take some beginner watercolor classes and then I was hooked. I have painted almost every day since.
Discovering Art
Part of what pulled me in is what I do for work. I’m the VP of Operations at TheeDigital, a web design and digital marketing agency, which means my days are full of screens, meetings, and more screens. Art is the opposite of all of that. There is no blue light, no notifications, just color and paper and calm.
Since December I’ve branched out into acrylic, mixed media, collage, and gelli printing too, because it turns out once you fall for one messy, colorful hobby, it is easy to fall for several more. I’m still learning something new with almost every project, and I love that part of it as much as the finished piece.
Outside of Art
Outside of the art table, I love birds, animals, photography, and spending time outside. I have a house full of plants, a few feeders in the yard, and I have been known to stalk birds for hours. We also have a beagle mix named Lanie, adopted from Triangle Beagle Rescue, who is usually somewhere nearby while I paint. I enjoy visiting places where I can see animals and beautiful scenery, whether it’s the beach or the mountains. My paintings tend to reflect that with a lot of birds, animals, nature, and landscapes.
Follow My Art Journey
This site is where I share what I’m painting, what I’m trying, what supplies and courses are actually worth your time, and the artists who inspire me along the way. If you loved crafting as a kid, if you need something to do with your hands that isn’t a screen, or if you just want to see what a little color and texture can do, follow along on my art journey.