My Artful Journey
From Concealed to Connected
Throughout my life, painting has been my silent companion, a persistent whisper of a parallel life waiting to be lived.
From growing up in Germany to studying in Southern France, and from living in Oklahoma, Texas and Florida to working in Southern California, my life’s journey has been "busy." But in each new home, I carved out a tiny sanctuary for my art, a little room where my cherished "materials" — vintage magazines, rusty locks, tree bark, fabrics, and papers — found their secret spot.
While art classes and painting were my solace, the demands of education and a corporate career consumed my life, offering creative fulfillment of a different kind.
A silent companion
Painting in the living room in Houston, TX in 2005
“Oh! Are these YOUR Paintings??”
The hiding artist
Friends and colleagues were always surprised upon discovering my art and the makeshift studios I had set up. “Oh! Are these YOUR paintings??”
Their astonishment reminded me of the artist within that remained largely unseen. I often responded with a half-hearted joke about maybe becoming an artist in another life, not yet ready to confront the reality of my deferred dream.
One of my early abstract, textured works
A Turning Point
The turning point came as I approached my 40th birthday, amidst the global upheaval of the pandemic and the personal tragedy of my father's terminal cancer diagnosis. Life was fragile, and time incredibly precious.
My husband and I found ourselves at a crossroads, seeking a moment to reassess our path.
In a whirlwind 18 months, we embraced parenthood, welcoming two daughters who became our world, our joy, our greatest purpose.
The Epiphany
And then one night, sitting on our garage floor surrounded by experiments with collage and thick gold paint, I was running on maybe 3 hours of sleep, still adjusting to life with a newborn, but filled with relentless energy to create.
That's when it hit me – why wait “for another life” to be an artist? Is this joy that I am feeling creating perhaps meant to be shared with others, now?
For reasons I did not fully understand back then, I also wanted to include something new and very special in my — up until then purely abstract — paintings.
It wasn’t until about a year later that I fully understood.
My Life is Changing
Fast forward to the next summer – After that night I had decided to finally pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a professional artist.
I started with art school at the Milan Art Institute and was about to show my artwork at the Laguna Beach Art-a-Fair for the first time.
A few months prior, I was blessed to be able to spend 5 weeks at the bedside of my father in Germany, along with my two toddler daughters and my husband, before he peacefully passed in the spring.
My first Oil Painting / My first bird (painted during Mastery program at Milan Art Institute)
“Are these Hummingbirds? Can I come closer?”
The Hummingbirds
The crisp summer morning of the show's start, I was bustling to get our van filled with all the artwork, prints, and greeting cards I had produced. I felt utterly unprepared and anxious about finally showing my art “to the world.”
With the door of our garage (aka my studio) open, two lovely ladies walked by as they were walking their dogs, catching my attention: “Are these hummingbirds? Can I come closer and take a look?”
We started a beautiful conversation about what hummingbirds meant to her and how they remind her of her partner who passed recently.
It was this conversation, the first of many I meant to have over the summer, that showed me the beauty of connection through art. And it was exactly the realization I needed that morning.
Laguna Beach Art-a-Fair Exhibit - Getting ready for the Premier Night
Today, as I watch the tiny hummingbirds visit our backyard, seemingly greeting me with a “hi” before joyfully jetting off to the next blossom, I'm reminded that art can be so much more than paint on canvas. Through my own journey of grief and discovery, I've come to understand that art transcends mere aesthetics—art has the power to evoke memories, stir deep emotions, and uplift and inspire us daily.
As I step into the light, no longer a "closeted artist," I warmly invite you to explore the art that has been my life's silent companion. Whether through the virtual galleries on my website or amidst the vibrant atmosphere of Art-a-Fair in Laguna Beach, I welcome you to connect with each piece.
Every painting tells a story of transformation, resilience, and the beauty of the human spirit.
I would be honored for each painting's journey to find its forever home with you.
