Etsy

Born in 1952, I grew up on a small family farm in central Texas and had what I consider the most fortunate childhood possible. Surrounded by wonderful family and community my youth was filled with opportunities to experience the many joys of a simple but most fulfilling and rewarding way of life.

Each day brought lessons necessary for survival in both the literal and figurative senses. A pride and appreciation of self-sufficient industry as well as the love of honest hard labor balanced with the necessity of working in harmony with others to guarantee a prosperous outcome for all are values I do not take for granted.

In my attempt to honor those who gave this legacy to me and also to leave a history for those who will come in the future,I have been inspired to share in craft and pictoral essay my memories of those days,which are past, but never forgotten. It is my desire that you too will be delighted and entertained by remembering or experiencing anew a most cherished era and way of life.

About My Art:

Original Folk Art:
I am a self-taught artist. The country scenes I paint offer pictoral stories reflecting childhood memories. Scenes combine actual places embellished by the use of whimsical artistic liscense to depict stories of various events and traditions or simply to create a visual spectacle rich in emotional value. My eventual goal is to combine a group of works accompanied with narrative into a children's book to preserve in visual essay,a tribute to a most cherished time and way of life.For a better understanding of my inspiration and purpose I would encourage you to read my profile.

Artist Studies:
For hundreds of years artists have learned by copying the great works. My studies are made simply because I love a specific piece and enjoy the challenge and excitement of learning more about how great artists accomplished various effects. I'm just one of those people who says "I paint because I have to." So,therefore, if I choose to continue to have room in my home in which to live,I must start selling my work. I hope it can be a win-win situation for you and me.

About My Crafts:
In 1956 at the age of four I won a blue ribbon at the Fayette County Fair for a dresser scarf embroidered with little squirrels and acorns,and the rest,as they say, is history. Growing up surrounded by grandmothers and a multitude of great-aunts who felt it was their familial priviledge and duty to pass on their numerous domestic skills,I flourished as I loved nothing more than being the recipient of their doting attention. They loved teaching,I loved learning and so I was blessed as they taught me much of the workmanship considered a necessary part of a young girl's upbringing. It is with much pleasure that I continue practicing these domestic crafts in the hope that it will also bring a bit of nostalgic joy to others.

Whenever possible I attempt to recycle materials as our frugal forefathers did. Other times I select vintage or vintage reproduction fabrics to create the look and feel of those special items that "just speak to us." In a disposable society handmade items have come full circle to represent quality in a time when handwork is nearly unheard of. So in some cases prices will reflect the many hours which go into creating these one of a kind items. The look and feel of handmade pieces express a human quality found only in items created by hand. Even though some selections seem quite pricey,please understand that most artisans do what they do out of the love of creating and sharing their craft and in most cases earn pennies per hour. We do it to share it with you and because we love it and want to keep these art forms alive in a time of mass production.