Page 30 - Autumn Brilliance - We Wish You A Scary Christmas! Winter 2020

Being an only child meant my imagination was always going crazy - I was bored. I blamed the family dogs for A LOT of stuff...
Ever since I was a child, I was extremely drawn to art. Whether it was painting, drawing, or making bat wings out of black construction paper and taping them to the back of my Barbies because one HAD to be a vampire, art has always stuck. I always excelled in art classes throughout school - some other classes, not so much, HA! My mother, who’s my biggest fan, always believed in me and let me be creative and express myself with my art, however dark and macabre it was. I used to just draw and figure things out as I went. Colored pencil was my medium of choice and I really enjoyed it!
Before the Internet, books by artists like Olivia De Berardinis, Brom, and Brian Froud were frequently used as inspiration in my high school years. Now that the Web has become such this huge force in the world, learning new mediums have become so much easier and my creative journey has expanded to include things such as paper clay art dolls, assemblage art, bone/botanical jewelry, essential oil blends, and, my current love - watercolor!
I studied graphic design at Youngstown State University; however, that major just didn't hold my interest. I decided to learn things on my own, moved to different states, and currently reside in way too sunny Florida. My absolute, hands-down favorite place I’ve lived was New Orleans slingin’ drinks on Bourbon Street. Living with all that old architecture, voodoo, Mardi Gras costumes, even the Jackson Square artists, all of these things are huge inspirations for me. That city holds my soul until I can return permanently. I can’t forget folklore and myths, horror/fantasy films, nature, autumn, Halloween and, most recently, beginning the path of Green witchcraft, all of which have heavy inspiration in my art. My brain goes a million miles a minute when it comes to art, and I usually have a million tabs open on my laptop for research and inspiration. Also, taking vacations gets the creative juices flowing and I make sure to take plenty of photos and if possible forage for plants and flowers to preserve and use in my artwork. I even collect snow for my paintings when I go
home for the holidays!