Hello and welcome!
I have always been fascinated by art and have studied it independently for as long as I can remember, starting with a vast collection of books about the great Impressionists as a young child, which I would try to emulate as I practiced drawing and coloring the homes in my neighborhood. I narrowed-in on painting approximately 20 years ago, and have been selling art professionally for the past 15 years, alongside raising my children.
I was born and raised in eastern Kentucky, where I had very limited exposure to fine art and I think that was what made me start collecting books and prints at an early age to pour through works of fine art like I had never seen in person. I graduated from Vanderbilt University, spent joyful years living in Nashville, Memphis, and Cincinnati, and now we call Knoxville, Tennessee, our forever home. Each place has influenced my life and my creative work, and I draw inspiration from everywhere we have called home. In particular, my childhood spent “riding the range” on my grandfather’s Kentucky cattle farms gave me a love for vibrant landscapes.
I began as an acrylic painter and Impressionist, then turned to abstract art for a few years, focusing on intuitive expression and playful experimentation on the canvas. But I still craved a deeper understanding of fine art and Impressionism in particular. So I began a journey several years ago to practice the fundamentals of fine art, making the switch to oil paint, and I have been fortunate to study under and work with some incredible Master Impressionists in workshops, classes, and mentorships. I took the leap into plein air painting in 2023, and while the learning curve was steep after so many years of studio painting, I think immersing myself in the landscape has added depth and authenticity to my work. …It also just makes me feel like a kid again, on my grandparents’ farm! My style is always evolving, and I currently categorize my work as “modern impressionism.”
In every piece, I strive to strike a balance between abstraction and the classical elements of fine art. I feel successful when I have been able to paint freely and loosely, and I have embraced surprises on the canvas. My paintings are textured and have a layered quality, achieved with both brushes and pallette knives. I believe that each layer contributes to the overall depth of the finished product, and while I want to capture the general impression of a scene, my goal is for each painting to also hold a good bit of mystery, shapes not fully explained, to let the viewer use their imagination as well.
Thank you for being here!
Rebecca
