Artist Medium: Painted steel with magnets
Greatest Source of Inspiration: I
confess. Trouble is often the source of my inspiration. In fact, I
would say trouble has often been a blessing. I love color. The trouble
was I did not know how to paint. I drew 10 stars of various sizes and
sent the drawings to the cutter. I asked for 500 stars thinking it was
a good way to learn to paint. The cutter however, thought I meant 500
of each star. 5,000 stars arrived at my door step. Believe me. I was
a lot better painter on the last star than I was on the first. Ten
years later, we still order stars by the galaxy!
Perfect Day: Although
every day is far from perfect, mine always has a perfect beginning.
For more than 35 years my husband, Jack, and I start our day on the love seat, with a cup of coffee, conversation, and our book of prayers and readings. It is a tradition I highly recommend!
Proudest Accomplishment: I
did a mural in the DeVos Children's hospital. It was to honor a most
amazing 12 year old, Kate Bytwerk. A year before a hiking accident
claimed her, Kate made a decision to donate all her organs at her
death. She was a blessing in every way that matters and it was a
privilege to honor her.
Can't Live Without: I
love to make stuff. But at bottom, I love color best. Color looks
great against black, but it's more than that. It is knowing that where
there is color, there is light. Icon painters have said, 'every brush stroke is a prayer.' For me every stroke of color is an act of faith: Darkness will not overcome the Light.
What's next in my work: After
working to develop a line using magnets and my art, I am excited to
license more than 100 designs to Demdaco. This line, Embellish your
Story, will debut in January with designs new and familiar. It is a
line that empowers the customers to use my artwork to personalize their
story and become the final artist. I am eager to see where the creative
process will lead for both the customers and myself.
