Although I am now living in Oregon, my native region of the country, I did reside for a few years in the sharply contrasted environment of the Southwest. Here in the inspiring Sonoran Desert, I was introduced to sumi-e (sumi painting), a form of single, brush stroke painting first developed in China and Japan. This style of painting has now spread across the globe and compositions are not limited solely to the countries that first initiated this art form.

The graceful beauty of the elegant yet bold, monochromatic strokes against the delicate rice paper first sparked my interest in this unique style. Initially, I took a private lesson from a southwestern sumi-e artist and instructor, Joy Mills, and then furthered my understanding of the basics by taking some sumi-e classes at Pima Community College in Arizona. I also took a workshop class from master Chinese painter, NingYeh, in Huntington Beach, California. However and for the most part, I am a self-taught artist.

While many of the composition in the beginning were Japanese in nature, I soon began to create paintings expressing western themes, nature, and my tribal heritage. All my brush work is done in the traditional monochromatic Japanese style, although I do add color washes to some of my paintings for mood and other dynamics. I find this extra latitude to bring forth a picture even more from the soul. One that I hope others will enjoy viewing as I much as I did in painting.

I have shown in galleries in the southwest and northwest regions of the United States including the Freed Gallery on the Oregon Coast and I've sold internationally. On numerous occasions I have been a featured artist and I have done solo exhibits. Commissioned work includes Orion Resources, LLC.

Recently, the Marquam Hill Art Committee purchased a painting that is now on display at the new Peter O. Kohler Pavilion in Portland, Oregon.

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