​I’ve been working with Art Castle in Corpus Christi for several years now.   Amanda and James are patient, flexible and work hard to meet my needs.  If you’re in the Corpus area check them out!  They represent many awesome local artists and have a gallery in their shop where you can buy art.

317 Schatzel St.
​Corpus Christi, TX 78401
​(361) 986-9023

And check out my blog post on Embellished Editions to see what I do with prints from Art Castle!

Cost: Prices range from a few hundred to several thousand depending on size and complexity

Timeline: Paintings I'm working on in the studio take several months to complete.  If you see something on social media you may want to purchase, please let me know as many of my paintings sell as I'm working on them.  Paintings that are already complete are typically available immediately unless they are part of an exhibition.

To purchase: Many of my originals can be seen and purchased at the Quinn Gallery on South Padre Island.  Contact me directly for an updated catalog on all available artwork.
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​Art has the potential to transform and enliven a space.  When I first moved into my house, before even unpacking my boxes, I put art on the walls.  It set the mood and motivated me to turn my new place into a home.  In our screen dominated lifestyles, art provides a tangible alternative to the digital.  It’s an invitation to slow down and savor.

Last month I stepped WAY out of my comfort zone.  In an attempt to get closer to my subject- coastal wildlife- I decided I needed to start photographing from a kayak.  As a single mom to two young kids, I needed to figure out how to do this safely.  Somehow I found Artist Boat, an organization in Galveston, TX dedicated to coastal conservation and using art as a means to learn from and connect with nature.   Clearly these were my kind of people.  So despite not being at all comfortable on and around water or in a kayak, I signed up for their three-day kayaking course.

A few days before the course started, I got an email with videos to review, homework, and an assignment to teach part of the class.  (I'd only ever been on a kayak once before.) It was then I realized that I was grossly underprepared for the intensity of the program- which honestly I found pretty hilarious.

The first day was incredibly and comically challenging in ways I can't possibly include in this blog.  Somehow, I survived to the second day where I had to capsize my kayak to practice assisted and self rescue.  I can't stress enough how uncomfortable I am in water- I don't even like pools.  So despite my wearing a life jacket and being surrounded by people who could help if needed, every part of my being fought against my purposely flipping the boat and plunging into the cold water,   The more I faced the idea of capsizing my kayak, the harder I laughed, feeling the fighting forces within me. 

Finally, I said to myself, "You gave birth during a global pandemic.  You can do this!"  And I did.  And it was exhilarating. The memory of this experience lives in my body, and I can recall it- and often do- each time I face something I need to do but want to run away from. 

Amy, the Operations Director of Artist  Boat, was also taking this class.  During one of the breaks I asked her, "Why Artist Boat?"  She told me about the founder being an artist, recognizing the power of creating art as a means to engage with and learn from nature.  She told me about their conservation efforts to acquire and preserve land for wildlife and getting to share that with people- especially children- who have no other experience with anyplace that's so wild.  As she spoke the tears started streaming down my face.  I couldn't help it- I tried. I was so moved by the mission and success of this organization.  I am in awe of this work and the women who made it a reality.  

To learn more and support their efforts, visit ArtistBoat.org.

​When I first started my meditative painting practice in nature, I felt guilty. I was raised with a strong work ethic- remnants of an immigrant family fulfilling the American dream. Taking the time to paint in nature, to create something that is process-based and not something that I could monetize, felt unproductive. More than that, the process was so joyful, I felt guilty as though I hadn't earned it. I was also uncertain about my subject.  I was drawn to the tangles of grass and rotting cactus pads- sure no one else would be interested in the places my heart asked me to explore.
 
What led me to start this practice was an instinct that the wild spaces held for me a solution to something I had learned to ignore- a feeling a discontent and anxiousness that comes from spending too much time in artificially created environments, too much time being caught up in the rhythms of technology.  My internal complex systems needed to connect with external ones.   

This practice- started almost 10 years ago- is now the foundation of my work.  It helps me to understand my subject and grounds me as a person.  If you would like to learn more about meditative nature painting, join me once a month during my Quinta Mazatlan Residency.  One of the great things about opening this practice to others is the community that's formed.  Do you already have a meditative painting practice?  Please share!!  

​Visit my Outdoor Studies page to see more meditation paintings.

​Ruth is an adventurer.  She is talented, creative, independent, and possesses a deep and varied understanding of the natural world.   On a nature hike, Ruth once pointed out to me a cactus that had been nibbled, healed, and in response grew its thorns in the injured area even longer.  It helped me to see the personality and agency of plants. 

I feel enormously grateful for her friendship. 

​I just recently had a conversation with someone who said the women friends in her life are not supportive but are instead competitive and petty.  My experience is completely different: I am surrounded- near and far- by strong, loving, spiritual, supportive, women. 
 
In thinking of why I have such a different experience, I believe it’s the choice to first be a supportive women/person to others, then setting healthy boundaries with people who don’t share those same values.  It takes time, but life is so much sweeter for it.  It’s how we choose to grow in love and joy, instead of bitterness and greed.
 
To all the women in my life, and to all beautiful, loving, supportive people out there who choose to be generous in spirit, thank you.  In a world full of pain and anger and destruction, we resist.

What exactly is an embellished print? (As if the art world wasn't confusing enough.)  I recently put together this video to show you a little about my process.

First, I start with an original painting that gets digitized either with a special fine art scanner or camera.  That image gets color correct, proofed, and printed using archival inks and canvas at Art Castle Printing in Corpus Christi I then take that print and enhance it using oil paints.  I bring out the shadows and highlights and soften the transitions between colors.  Using warm and cool colors and glazing techniques, I recreate depth sometimes lost in the print.

Each limited-edition is signed, numbered, and when completely dry is varnished.  It comes with a certificate of authenticity and can be ordered framed or gallery wrapped (no frame, but still ready to hang.). Though every print in an edition starts off the same, I end up painting almost the entire canvas, making each one unique.  I LOVE painting these, getting to revisit these beautiful scenes over and over.  

Check out my catalog to see embellished editions available for purchase.

I was recently recommended by photographer Nicole Gates to be a guest artist for a mixer of the Valley Symphony Orchestra’s Young Patrons Club, taking place at her studio.  There are so many things about this event that I love, but one of the best things was that it got me reconnected with Nicole, who I had met a couple years earlier.
 
I ran over to look at her space so I could plan where and how to set up.  While there we spoke non-stop for two and a half hours about art and life and business and inspiration.  I am amazed by her work, not just the quality of her beautiful images, but the stories and purpose behind them.  If you are not yet familiar with her art, you can find more about what she does at nicolegatesphotography.com or follower her on Facebook or Instagram. 
 
I’m also really excited to be part of the event itself.  Catering to members age 18-40, the Young Patrons Club of the Valley Symphony Orchestra is focused on connecting young professionals to the arts by throwing mixers where artists and musicians share their craft and knowledge.  There’s food and drinks, and everybody dresses up to sit on rugs and get inspired.  It all sounds very bohemian and fun. 
 
“Spring Fling” will feature a Brazilian bassist and my artwork of South Texas natives.  And while they cater to ages 18-40, I’m told it’s not strictly a requirement to attend. 
 
Event takes place Friday, February 16, 2024 at Nicole Gates Studio, 321 N Main Street.

​While I’d hoped by now to be half-way through 3 large, new canvases for my upcoming Coastal show, I am still in the process of organizing my crazy studio.  Sometimes I wonder why I’m doing it, since I’m clearly happier painting, and could have just as easily ignored the mess.  Instead, I choose to spend days pulling out all the varied items that clutter my space so I can catalog what’s usable and get rid of the rest. 
 
While part of me worries that I’m not meeting my self-imposed deadlines, a greater part of me knows that there’s immeasurable benefit to starting this year organized.  I will work more efficiently in the space and I’ll feel better while I’m there.  Plus, I’ll have a better set-up to take pictures and videos of my art and process!
 
If this past year has taught me anything, it’s how to face the things that are overwhelmingly in the category of “I don’t wanna!” So, every time I start to organize years of clutter and feel anxious about not making progress on my actual to do list, I take a deep breath, and steadily move forward while making peace with my pace.  Important things take time- which is difficult to remember in an age when I can have almost anything delivered to my front door within the week.