I have been painting professionally for almost 20 years, but my love of art began as child. My mom was head of the arts in Junior League, so as kids, my sister and I were always creating something!

I began painting in a realistic style with acrylics on wood, and then branched out into watercolors, and eventually oils, which were my preferred medium. However, the fumes from the paint made it impossible for me to use oils after I developed pneumonia and compromised lungs, and I almost gave up painting altogether.

In 2018, my mother-in-law sent me a news article about “pouring paint” using acrylics, something I’d never heard of. I was intrigued, so I gave it try. Soon after, I was diagnosed with a meningioma (benign brain tumor). I wondered if that was what was causing me to pursue such a different way of painting, but as soon as I recovered from surgery , I continued painting in this style.

About the Pouring Paint Technique

Acrylic paint pouring, also known as flow art or fluid art, is a form of abstract art. Using acrylics with a thin consistency, I add layers of paint using a variety of techniques to get the paint to react and combine in different ways.

I still wonder if changing my style had anything to do with my tumor or just a desire for change. I will probably never know the answer, but I love pouring paint! It’s taken a little while to catch on but I love painting without brushes and coming up with new ways to spread paint on the canvas.

Over the last few years, I have learned many different types and techniques for pouring paint. One of my favorite artists to watch and learn from is Priscilla Batzell because she loves color and so do I! …and so do I! My education doesn't end there. I follow several different artists on YouTube, and I'm always eager to learn new techniques.

I have participated in juried shows in Petoskey and Harbor Springs and have shown my paintings at various galleries in Michigan. My travels to different parts of the world have contributed to my love of colors (especially ocean colors). I have lived in Hawaii twice, but currently reside in East Lansing, Michigan, with my husband and dogs.