With the stress and chaos of modern life, I've been daydreaming about the less complicated lives that animals have in the wild. In reality, they have a far rougher existence than I could ever endure, but the wide open spaces and big skies still beckon! For this concept, I asked my model Sasha to mimic a cat stretching after a nap. She is a gifted dancer with great flexibility. The skies reflect the mood and complexity of the society of each subject.

This piece will be included in an upcoming show called Birdsong, featuring women artists. At the beautiful McCory Timmerman in Taylor, Texas; it runs from March 15 – April 26.

30" x 24," oil on canvas

I am doing a series of badass women: some historical and some who are currently shaping the world today. This portrait of P!nk is one of the more lighthearted ones; instead of pairing her with a fierce big cat (no doubt her spirit animal), I chose her signature color to pair her with a flamingo. Her music is thought-provoking, strong, and often just a rockin' good time. Enjoy, friends!

Oil on cradled board, 12" x 12"

This is a concept I've wanted to paint for a long time. There is a pair of pink boxing gloves nailed to a fence in our town that was my inspiration. I used to do kickboxing as a workout; I never fought another person, but even hitting a bag or focus mitt was empowering! You can take your own meaning from this, as there is much adversity women face (from general inequality to something specific, like breast cancer).

Oil on canvas, 20" x 20"

Fine art prints (paper or canvas) are a great way to start your art collection, or to introduce a new artist into an existing collection. I also have miniature oil studies available. Here are a few that sold at the first weekend of the East Austin Studio Tour.

This year I'm at two locations: Gallery 84 on Waller St., and Soma Vida Gallery on E Cesar Chavez. These two locations are about 9-10 blocks away from each other, and I plan to bounce between the two. There are lots of other studios in the neighborhood, and the weather looks good for a great weekend of art hopping. See you there!

There is one more weekend of EAST, Nov. 18-19 from 11am - 6pm.

Happy customers and artist! Gallery 84

She is fierce! This series has a twofold purpose: to encourage people to be more conscious in their treatment of other species (ie, not use animals for food, clothing, or entertainment), and to help me stay sane with so much cruelty in the world.

No matter what species, race, nationality,sexuality, or religion, we all want a peaceful and productive life for ourselves and our loved ones.

Fierce, oil on board, 12" x 12"

I am deeply honored that Survivor - a "kintsugi" portrait - took first place in the statewide juried Art Hop in Georgetown, Texas. It is part of a series of warriors who are stronger because of the injuries/adversity/illness/racism they've endured. I use gold metal leaf to "mend" her scar. This is dedicated all the warriors out there who are fighting cancer or other life-threatening diseases.

These are the pieces included in the Art Hop, which runs until October 27, 2017.

What is your spirit animal? There are so many species that I feel a strong connection to, I can't decide mine. Here are two popular ones: a fox and a wolf. The model for the wolf is a dear friend of mine. Both were a joy to paint, and a reminder that all creatures (including humans) are more alike than we are different. I hope more people make that connection.

Both of these are 12" x 12" on Ampersand cradled board.

I'm thrilled that my painting entitled "Bliss" will be included in the upcoming AVAA member's show at Austin Art Space, September 8 – October 7. The opening reception with live music will be Saturday, Sept. 9, 6-8 pm.

Underwater images have always fascinated me. Water is so powerful: essential for life, and also quite dangerous. Ironic that I received notification the day after Harvey hit the Texas coast that Bliss was selected for this show. My brother and sister-in-law just bought a house in Rockport a week earlier. Theirs was the last insurance policy written before the Cat 4 hurricane hit. Their house is on a bay, and like most houses in their neighborhood, suffered extensive damage. Half the roof and 2 walls are gone. They were very lucky that they have insurance (so many in Houston don't), and that this was a second home. They visited us for a week and are now safely back in Colorado.

Bliss, 20" x 16," oil on linen

I've been wanting to explore and illustrate the human/animal connection for over a year, and a recent magazine submission nudged me to actually put pencil to paper and brush to canvas. I can't share that one yet, but I hope you enjoy this one, which is second in the series. It is more vibrant than most of my work, but the kingfisher demanded that the human and background be just as colorful.

Oil on birch board, 24" x 12"

I'm Mailing these 3 entries to the Single Fare 4 Show, September 16-17 at Highline Stages (441 West 14th St, NY, NY). All artworks use single fare MetroCards as canvases, and 30% of the sales go to the New York Academy of Art's MFA program. Here's to the next generation of artists!

Oil on MetroCard, 2" x 3.25"