I am an American artist whose art developed both in Europe and in the United States. I began learning drawing and painting while studying art history in Paris France in the 1990s. I continued to explore with different artistic media while working and traveling in South East Asia and North Africa. These included drawing, oil and acrylic painting, mosaic and photography. I settled permanently in the United States in 2013 where I was introduced to the artistic community of Asheville North Carolina and its surroundings. My experiences there further developed my art. It was during the pandemic lockdown of 2020 that my painting took a new turn, especially during prolonged road trips in the Southwest United States. The vast landscapes, immense skies, impressive geological formations, their colors and the rich ancestral native American culture there left a permanent and deeply meaningful life-changing impression on me.
My profound reunion with landscape, nature and the human stories evolving from them have continued to incite my work as I roam with continuing curiosity throughout the world.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
3RD PLACE WINNER JURIED EXHIBITION MAIRIE DU VI BIENNALE 2024 - Paris France.
PAINTING SUBMISSION ACCEPTANCE FOR MAIRIE DU VI BIENNALE 2024 – Paris France.
ASIA SOCIETY/KIPP HOUSTON ART WORKSHOP MAY 2024 based on Asia Society exhibition Xu Bing: Word Alchemy.
“WONDROUS SHIFTS” ARTIST OF THE MONTH AWARD WINNER SEPTEMBER 2023 -oil on canvas - Camelback International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition, Scottsdale Arizona.
“IMAGINARY LANDSCAPE” FINALIST AWARD WINNER APRIL 2023 - Shades of Green 2023 - oil on canvas - Camelback International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition, Scottsdale Arizona.
‘BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY'“ BRONZE AWARD WINNER MARCH 2023 - Abstracts with Red - oil on canvas - Camelback International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition, Scottsdale Arizona.
“REMEMBERING BEARS EARS AUCTION HIGHLIGHT NOVEMBER 2022 - acrylic on canvas - Sold at Bears Ears Partnership Online Auction 2022.
“MOONLIGHT AT DAWN” WINNING PHOTOGRAPH for Ghost Ranch Calendar 2022, National Ghost Ranch Foundation, Abiquiú, New Mexico.
DOCENT/ART TEACHING – THE ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER Houston TX – October 2019 to the present. Collaborating with the Asia Society Cultural Program Manager and the Education and Outreach Coordinator on art projects that foster East-West cultural, educational and artistic awareness, knowledge, practice and exchange.
DOCENT OF THE YEAR WINNER 2020, THE ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER Houston TX.
FOUNDER/TEACHER - ECHANGE COMPANY INC. Houston TX - November 2015 – Present. Providing a business portal for the promotion and sales of my art. Providing learner centered Art and French instruction.
FRENCH WITH ART IMMERSIVE TEACHING - ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE HOUSTON TX - January - May 2015. Teaching all levels of French to adults. Incorporating art-related discussions and activities into my lesson plans.
ART AND EAL TEACHER, TEACHER TRAINER - ETPC CAMBODIA - Summer 2013. Teaching painting in English as an EAL teacher. Training local teachers for a charity-based school in the rural Samrong Tong district, Cambodia.
ART TEACHING ASSISTANT, FRENCH AND EAL TEACHER - CHRIST CHURCH EPISCOPAL SCHOOL GREENVILLE, SC August 2012- June 2013. Teaching art and art history components for the Middle School art program. Teaching beginner to level 2 French and English as a Second Language.
PHOTOGRAPHY (IB Level), FRENCH AND EAL TEACHER - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL - AMERICAN COOPERATIVE SCHOOL OF TUNIS, LAOUINA, TUNISIA = August 2004 - June 2006. Teaching upper school IB level photography, Middle and High School EAL and Lower School French.
EDUCATION
WORKSHOPS
MIXED MEDIA - St. Ives School Of Painting Cornwall UK - May 2024
TOWARD THE ABSTRACT IN LANDSCAPE. Houston Art League (in-person) Spring and Fall sessions 2023
TOWARD THE ABSTRACT IN LANDSCAPE. Houston Art League (in-person) Winter session 2023
CHINESE INK PAINTING:MEDITATIVE APPROACHES - Houston Art League (in-person) Winter Session 2023
NON-OBJECTIVE PAINTING INSPIRED BY NATURE with Artist Janice Mason Steeves (online) Spring 2021
LANDSCAPE PAINTING with Artist Mary Gilkerson (online) Fall 2020
WORK STUDY SCHOLARSHIP ENCAUSTIIC PAINTING - 9 Graduate Credits - Penland School of Craft, Penland NC with Western Carolina University, Cullowhee NC - September-November 2014
COURSES OF STUDY
MASTER’S IN EDUCATION – College of New Jersey, Ewing New Jersey. Graduated on August 15th, 2011
DRAWING and DESIGN COURSES – School of Graphic Design - Paris, France 1991
MASTER’S COURSE IN ART HISTORY- Paris IV Sorbonne, Paris, France October 1990 - June 1992
BACHELOR OF ARTS HONORS DRGREE- History of Art -University of East Anglia (The Sainsbury Center by Norman Foster), Norwich UK 1987-1990. Graduated on July 5th 1990. Included a black and white manual photography elective.
ART AND ART HISTORY RESIDENTIAL COURSE – John Hall Venice Summer 1990. Drawing, painting, art history and culture in Venice and Florence, Italy.