As a young child I looked forward to summer. It was the time of year when my family would travel to Ohio and spend a couple weeks with my Grandparents. Time with family meant so much and a highlight of the trip was going to the basement of my grandparents home where my Grandpa lined up paintings he had created throughout the year. He displayed them around the floor, propped up against the walls in his basement ‘studio’. It was his time to have an art show and tell us about each painting he created. I loved hearing his stories and learning from him as he shared his creativity and his heart through his artwork.

As the years went by and I grew, my love for art and painting also grew. In Junior High and High School I took every opportunity to take art classes and loved learning various mediums but acrylic painting remained my favorite. My favorite ‘teacher’ for art continued to be my Grandpa. As he grew older his health declined and the last summer I saw him, he knew he could no longer paint as he used to. He took me one last time to his basement studio and showed me all of his paints, paint brushes, art books and treasures he had accumulated through the years as he created art and it brought him and others joy. As he spoke, he turned to me and said, ‘It is all yours. I can no longer paint and you will use these things and it will have meaning to you.’ My eyes filled with tears as it was so much more than a material gift Grandpa gave me. His love of art, his love for bringing joy to others and his creativity is something I have cherished and have wanted to expand upon in my life for all these years.

As I had my own family I would dabble here and there with painting, and create with my kids but never took formal lessons until 2018 when my daughter and I were introduced to Mehrzad Alison, owner of Prairie Hills Art Gallery. I once again was inspired to create art and take my art to a new level. It is my hope that my paintings will bring joy and happiness to others as it brings such fond memories of love and happiness to my life with each painting I create. Painting is a true gift of love.