Paper Dolls II, 42” x 72”, mixed media on hardboard, 2017.

Paper Dolls II was inspired by the Always "Like A Girl" ads. The ads encouraged young girls to have self-confidence, reminding them that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to...and that doing something "like a girl" should be a compliment, not an insult. This painting shows paper dolls breaking out of their stereotypical cookie-cutter position to demonstrate strength, intelligence, athleticism, etc. As a mom of 12 year old twin girls, I love seeing my daughters work toward their goals with confidence and determination,

Matilda, 44” x 44", latex, spray paint, pastel, pencil on canvas, 2017/18.

Matilda is really a painting of self-reflection during a time when I was unknowingly starting to go through a type of metamorphosis, both as an artist and as a woman. She is fragmented and incomplete because she knows she is not living up to her fullest potential. Her head floats above the busyness of the active world, detached from a working body because she feels isolated and stagnant, unsure of how to move forward. Matilda is going through a dark period of change, however, the light ahead is right over her shoulder, she just cannot yet see it. As the creator of this psychological self-portrait, I knew my light existed. I just didn’t know how to reach it at the time.

With a Little Help From my Friends, 42” x 42”, latex, pastel, pencil on canvas, 2019.

On March 10, 2019, I became very sick and quickly went into septic shock due to an infection in my body. By the time I reached the hospital, all my vitals were shutting down. Most people do not survive such an experience but a young ER surgeon rushed me into the OR for emergency surgery and was able to save my life. The days following were spent in the ICU as my condition felt like it got worse before it got better. I managed to remain alert thanks to the never ending support and communication with my friends, which I believed helped save my life and help me make a miraculously full recovery. With a Little Help From my Friends was painted specifically for Cinq Gallery during my recovery, in honor of those unwavering friends.

Chasing Rays, 48” x 72”, mixed media on hardboard, 2017.

This piece is about going after your dreams! There are figures climbing through sun rays, trying to reach their goals. Everyone has their own goals, but for me, this painting was about becoming a mom, which turned into the ultimate fight of my life. After the heartbreaking loss of three previous sets of twins, six years of fertility drugs, injections, procedures, surgeries, daily ultrasounds/blood work, fighting with doctors and insurance, risking our entire savings, traveling out-of-state, I felt like I was fighting a battle that would never end. While the pain of continuing this nightmare was horrible, the pain of quitting would forever be so much worse. We chased our dream beyond the point of exhaustion and eventually achieved it. During my pregnancy, we nicknamed the twins, “The Rays”, as in “our rays of sunshine”, and on 12/12/12, I gave birth to two stunningly beautiful, strong, healthy girls, Dylan and Layla, weighing in at 7.5 lbs and 8.2 lbs, both fierce and ready to take on the world from day one!