I never knew my grandmother – she died before I was born – but I knew her art. Her paintings hang on the walls of my dining room next to my own. Her daughter – my mother – also painted and did wood carving and stained glass. As a third-generation artist, I have been creating art for more than 50 years. Inspired by the beauty of the Ozark hills I call home, I have worked in a variety of mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolor. Currently, my focus is encaustics, painting with hot wax. I first experimented with encaustic painting 40 years ago and recently rediscovered the unique qualities and rich coloring it brings to the landscapes and still lifes I paint. For as long as I can remember, art has been a constant – and a necessity – in my life. Thank you for allowing me to share my work with you.