Words, Waffling and Daubs of Paint

There are so many talented creatives out there that the search can be intimidating as well as inspiring. But if you’re reading this, you’re interested in me! And in the interest of people like you, I’ve finally put together this website as an ongoing, online portfolio. I’ve always loved art and creative writing and still find myself gazing fixedly at marvelous images and savoring the textures of well-written descriptions that talented visionaries of the past and present have rendered. Of course there’s the even greater satisfaction of creating my own work.

My godmother, Dolly, the first artist I knew, painted, but she never made a career out of it. She had an easel set up in her bedroom and would paint in the early morning light. When she worked, I’d quietly slip in and lie on her platform bed, watching the strokes of paint on canvas create images out of little daubs of color. It was endlessly fascinating.

Jo at the Norton Simon Museum “Woman with a Book”, painted by Pablo Picasso in 1932

One afternoon she pulled a large book off of a shelf in her living room. She sat on the couch and motioned to me to sit next to her. She explained who Pablo Picasso was, slowly turning the pages and pointing out his early images of a circus family, his blue period and the strange geometrical shapes, colors and lines of cubism. I decided then to become an artist. Little did I know the circuitous route I would travel before that desire fully manifested into something that not only gives me a great deal of happiness, but supports me financially. I hope you appreciate the work I’ve chosen to exhibit here – there’s a lot more sitting in portfolios, (or as some of us who’ve worked in the newspaper business used to joke – lining bird’s cages), some in magazines, and some hangs on my walls and on the walls of my friends and family. For professional reasons, I picked out what says something about me, both commercially and as a fine artist.

I’ve also been a voracious reader since the second grade. I discovered the beautiful escape that literature — be it adventure stories, romance, science fiction, biography, historical fiction and non-fiction, had to offer. This love of the printed word and a better-than-average academic background (that continues to this day), has also given me the ability to edit and write creatively and professionally.

Enjoy the show and please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.