I have had artistically creative outlets throughout my entire life and have sold my current style of painting for almost 20 years. I sold all 5 of my pieces in a group show opening night in the style I’m painting with which inspired me to take myself seriously. I have not been selling enough to survive as an artist. I hope that the exposure at your festival could help with that. “They” say… “3rd time is the charm”. I have had dreams of working art fairs a lot of my life. If I could find success at it… it would be a dream come true. I also have a variation in technique that I’ve been developing that would make my work easier to transport for both me and potential buyers.

I began the journey of pursuing my art as a business about a year ago. I have been an artist I think for all of my life. I don’t remember ever not creating art. I began teaching in 1990, and have taught art, photography, graphic design, band, orchestra and choir to students in Kindergarten through college. Over that time, I have been practicing and developing my own artwork in several disciplines, and in recent years have been painting largely in acrylics. I have so many paintings inside me, and so while I love teaching, I will be making the move to full time artist this year. It is important to have the time to create good artwork. But what is as important is connecting with the people who will live with your art. Creating a means of showing and selling artworks, creating an art business, is an effective way to connect my artworks with art lovers. And so just over a year ago, when I was invited to show and sell my art at an art festival, I began the process of creating an art business. It has been an exciting journey!

I've been creating art for well over a decade at this point and last year I really dove into trying to turn it into a full time business. I left my home in Phoenix and now travel around in my RV determined to find the most serene and isolated places nature has to offer. I combined my love for backpacking and photography in hopes of sharing what I love with the world.

My decision to pursue art as a business in April 2024 was shaped by both my creative growth and my background as an environmental scientist. I began actively creating art in January 2023 after enrolling in a printmaking class at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix, where I discovered cyanotype and botanical monotype processes. These methods allowed me to merge scientific observation with artistic expression, collaborating directly with sunlight, plants, and place. After years of working in sustainability and policy, I felt called to connect with people in a more immediate, emotional way. Turning my practice into a business—particularly through art fairs—has enabled me to share this work directly with the public, support my creative practice, and guide others toward a deeper relationship with the natural world.

I have been painting for pleasure for several years and am a self taught artist who has appreciated art my whole life.  It is a dream to be an Artist in Arizona!  This grant would be vital to my work as the extra assistance would allow me to gain exposure and focus on creating more art as the expenses of shows to gain visibility is high for me.  I have acquired many show items needed, but the entrance fees add up and as an emerging artist, I do not have the sales to support the cost of the shows that I need to be in to market to my target audiences.  I am trying and have focused on lesser expensive options but some of those do a disservice to the potential clientele and to my art.

I have been creating art for most of my life, with drawing and painting always part of who I am. For many years, art was a quiet, grounding practice alongside my professional career, but over time my work began to resonate with others in ways I didn’t expect. Encouragement from viewers and collectors helped me realize that my art could live beyond my studio. My background in optometry and vision science shapes how I see color, light, and balance, and creating art has become both an expression and a counterbalance to my clinical work. Choosing to pursue art as a business felt like a natural and heartfelt step—an opportunity to share my work more widely while building something sustainable and deeply meaningful. Participating in juried art festivals marks an important chapter in my growth as an emerging professional artist.

I began creating art around the age of 13, and two years ago, when I turned 18, I officially began my entrepreneurial journey as an artist. I participated in the Hidden in the Hills Youth Program from age 13 to age 19, where I had the opportunity to share my work with the community while gaining valuable experience in the business side of being an artist. This experience helped shape my understanding of both creative practice and professional presentation. As many art events require artists to be 18 or older, I have recently been able to pursue additional opportunities to exhibit my work and expand my reach. I enjoy connecting with members of the community and observing what resonates with them when they engage with my artwork. It is an honor when someone forms a meaningful connection with a piece and chooses to bring it into their home. I seek to expand my artistic practice through travel, drawing inspiration from diverse landscapes, environments, and regional cultures across the country. Experiencing new places directly informs my creative process and allows my work to evolve while remaining rooted in my visual language.

I have been creating art for most of my life, but my journey into art as a business began during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, I started painting kindness rocks for the Kindness Rock Movement. What began as a way to spread encouragement and connection during an isolating period reignited my love of painting and creative expression. As I created more pieces, I began selling a small number of my best works to help offset the cost of materials used for my kindness projects. This modest step unexpectedly grew into my first art business, rooted in community, generosity, and accessibility. Later, my artistic practice was profoundly reshaped by a rare connective tissue disorder that significantly limited my hand strength and dexterity. When I could no longer grasp small tools or traditional paintbrushes, I adapted by turning to fluid art. This transition allowed me to continue creating while honoring my physical limitations. I formed a new business focused solely on fine art, including original canvases, prints, and occasional smaller works made from leftover paint. Fluid art has given me a sustainable way to remain an artist and entrepreneur while preserving my health.

I decided to pursue my art as a business after moving to Fountain Hills, Arizona, a few years ago. While I had been creating with wood for many years, the move inspired me to experiment more deeply with natural materials found in the Arizona landscape. Discovering the beauty of cholla cactus skeletons and combining them with resin became a turning point in my work. As community members and visitors began encouraging me to sell my pieces, I realized my creative passion could possibly grow into a sustainable small business. That encouragement led me to establish Rustic Slabs West, allowing me to focus fully on creating functional art rooted in craftsmanship, nature, and community.