I received my Bachelor of Visual Arts degree from Georgia State University with a major in painting. After graduation I worked independently in a variety of media (primarily oils and watercolors) and exhibited extensively through the '80s and '90s, showing a strong affinity for landscape, though still life and some portraiture also figured into my subject matter. My paintings made their way into the collections of Walt Disney World, Coca Cola Company, Cape May County Cultural Heritage Commission, and the Banks Haley Gallery, as well as many private collectors.
The birth of two sons called for a change in tactics (I could no longer have long uninterrupted stretches of time in which to work) and eventually a change in media. About nine years ago I began to make small pictorial pins as a way to express my creative side without needing to have those large "blocks" of time. I began to add a few beads dangling from the pins to add interest and movement, and was surprised to find that, gradually, what could be done with the beads became more interesting than what could be done with the pins themselves!
An exploration of bead weaving began in earnest about ten years ago and I began to teach classes and have had articles featuring my work in Bead&Button Magazine, Step by Step Beads, and Bead World. I have also been included in several books and am a frequent contributer to Bead-Patterns; the Magazine.
But a few years ago I returned to my first love (painting) and experienced "plein air" painting for the first time. I re-entered the world of fine art, and reveled in my return to my paintbox. And I am not looking back!
Since then I continue with my plein air endeavors and am participating in painting competitions and plein air "paint outs". You can find out more about my activities on my bio page at stonebrashcreative.com
