What is currently on your nightstand?
Let’s see…My nightstand is an antique desk that belonged to my mom so it is a bit of a larger sized surface area than a traditional nightstand and I have it loaded down currently so this may sound like a lot. First and most importantly, we have my fresh 2025 planner. I am an old school paper planner kind of gal and check it every morning. I’d be lost without it. Next, corralled in a woven tray with some ginger jars and pieces of coral I have some beloved framed photos of my husband and our dog, Captain. There is one from a special trip of the three of us, two from our wedding day, and a framed note that my husband gave me when we first met in high school. There is a special ring dish gifted from a collector turned friend sprinkled with some sentimental and everyday jewelry pieces I wore yesterday. A water carafe, my Hatch alarm clock (which was a gift and so nice to wake up to!), my glasses, a brass table lamp, and some of my nighttime lineup of lotions and potions as us mid 30’s do for good measure. I also now see that I need to dust. We are still working on the post holidays re-set over here.
Who is your biggest influence as an artist and why?
Hands down my mom. She fostered and nurtured the creative spirit she saw in me from an early age even though she herself would claim not to be very “artsy.” She was always taking me to museums, plays, musicals, taught me how to sew, would take me to get art supplies as a kid, you name it. I had an inherent love and appreciation for the arts and design from a young age that we shared. I saw a quote once somewhere that said “my mother cheered so loud for me that I never noticed who didn’t” and that sums it up nicely. She encouraged all of my creative pursuits and was always my number one fan. I am an introvert and was a bit shy as a kid so this helped me to step into each new venture or life chapter with confidence borrowed from her encouragement and assuredness in my ability to do so. I don’t know that I would have had the full confidence (imposter syndrome anyone?) to step into my creative passions the way I have had it not been for her pushing me along so I would say she was pretty influential in me setting out on this path.
Tell us about your childhood. What is the most memorable moment as a young person?
Hindsight is always 20/20, but generally speaking, I would say that I had a wonderful childhood and it is not lost on me what an immense blessing that is to say (and that's also not to say there weren’t hard things there too or really hard years later on). My two younger sisters and I grew up in a wonderful neighborhood and church family with many kids our same ages and a strongly bonded and united community of parents who were all very involved in all of our activities. There were lots of play dates, sports, Girl Scouts, swim team, neighborhood activities, summer camps…all kinds of things we all did together with the neighborhood crew. It was the embodiment of “it takes a village.” As an adult I have grown to really appreciate and understand the value and rarity in that more and more and have not actually been able to quite recreate it yet for my adult self in its full form which makes it feel very unique and special to that group of people and time. If you have ever seen the movie Now and Then I would describe that as the essence of my growing up years with my childhood best friends and sisters. I have really, really fond memories of riding our bikes to the neighborhood pool with complete abandon and then house hopping all day to watch movies, play games, play with Barbies, Beanie Babies, or American Girl Dolls, etc. until it was time to bike home for supper. We didn’t have cell phones, sometimes used walkie-talkies on secret stations, our parents rarely knew our exact whereabouts or what we were doing once we peddled down the driveway. We were free and the sunshine was plentiful. At least that’s how I remember it.When I think of my childhood that is what stands out the most and it is really special.
If you could only have one supply in your art studio, what would it be and why?
Hands down white paint. Of all mediums. I use so much of it and am always, always, always running out. I frequently sit down to paint only to realize I am almost out again and then have to run out to grab some. Sometimes it feels comically so.
What is your favorite room in your house? Describe it.
My favorite room is my breakfast room off of the kitchen. We live in a 1950’s ranch that once belonged to my Meme and the room used to be a porch with sliding glass and screen doors off of the kitchen and next to our single carport. I used to paint there because of the great lighting as my studio of sorts a while back but it was neither a part of the interior of the house nor climate controlled so it would get really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter, but regardless of extreme temperatures, I would always find myself sitting out there with a cup of coffee or painting and enjoying the light and the view either sweating or bundled up with a space heater. We fairly recently enclosed it as part of a renovation project and turned it into a breakfast room off of our original kitchen but I still use it as an office/studio most days because I love it so much. It has a really large floor to ceiling picture window to keep the essence of the sun porch it originally was, and it lets in this soft, warm, buttery, beautiful natural light all day long that fills that side of the house. It is pretty small and cozy with a vintage settee that is temporarily slipcovered in an off white cover because it needs new upholstery fabric, two ivory boucle upholstered swivel chairs (one I’m sitting in to type this), and an old painted white dining table I’ve had since college that I need to replace but is all too often covered in paint for me to want to do so. I find myself camped there for most of the day everyday, usually painting at the table or working on my computer instead of in my actual office/ studio in a spare bedroom because the lighting is always so good. Plus, it's right off the kitchen for coffee and snacks! My dog Captain has a little woven basket bed by the window he sleeps in while I work. The walls are knotty pine wood paneling that we extended from the original ones in the kitchen and are painted a creamy white color which is the perfect blank canvas background for painting and it is sprinkled with the few plants I have managed to keep alive and some small artwork pieces from some favorite artists and antique stores - all landscapes and clouds, go figure. Aside from that, it’s pretty bare bones and vanilla currently (everything is a shade of white besides the small art pieces) in terms of what I normally do design wise but I love the pause and palette cleanse it gives me when working so I haven’t been quick to want to decorate it further. It’s my less is more in my often maximalist leaning spaces. It is teaching me the art of editing and the art of not rushing things.
What is your biggest score online?
My dog, Captain! My husband and I love dogs but were fairly newly married and weren’t really looking to get a pet at that time, but some late night insomnia scrolling led me to some Facebook photos from a dog rescue site that a coworker had recently adopted from and…well…the next day we went and adopted a puppy after I saw the sweetest face that I ever did see that I couldn’t unsee and melted my heart. Definitely not how I typically make big life decisions, much to everyone’s shock, but when you know in your gut you know and it was the best decision and “score” ever. He is 9 years old now and my little buddy and daily shadow. He’s a scruffy some sort of beagle and terrier mix that looks a lot like Benji. I can’t imagine life without him, he literally comes everywhere with me that he is allowed to!
What is the benefit of buying art through a collective? What do you recommend for those thatare new to buying original art?
I love the idea of buying art through a collective because, especially as a new collector, you are exposed to a wide variety of artists, styles, and price points in a way that makes browsing, viewing, and collecting art feel more approachable, shoppable, accessible and not so intimidating. The experience between collector and artist can feel a bit more personal and interactive without the formality of a traditional gallery setting (which absolutely also has its esteemed and valued place, distinction, and honor in this process and journey) and the fourth wall feels broken in a way that allows you to establish a bit more of a connection with the artist and the pieces you are buying simply because of the way it is presented. Filling out this fun questionnaire is a great example of that! I would recommend anyone new to buying art to start with a collective like Well + Wonder to learn more about what they are drawn to, the process, the artists, etc. as they develop their collectors’ palettes and preferences and work their way through to adding to their collections from more traditional brick and mortar galleries. It’s often a fun way to find emerging artists that you can then follow along as they become more established in their careers or in gallery settings. I also think starting with small scale pieces that have a lot of versatility in how they can be framed and displayed over time is a great place to start an art collection especially if you are younger, in a transient life stage, or you anticipate your style changing as it develops over time. For instance, an oversized canvas you invest in from a gallery in your late 20’s or early 30’s for your modern uptown condo with high ceilings may or may not easily suit your space, style, or lifestyle for your suburban home with your family in your 40’s-50’s but the smaller or medium sized pieces you collect along the way will always work on bookshelves, gallery stairwells or hallways, powder rooms, propped on consoles etc. and will tell a story over time of who you are and your experiences that shaped you as you collected them which is neat to share with others, integrate with new versions and life chapters of yourself, or pass down one day.
If you have the entire day to spend in an art museum, which one and why?
Probably a cliche answer but the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. I have fond memories of spending time there with my mom on a post graduation trip and on trips with some of my best friends in my 20’s and early 30’s and I think that nostalgia paired with the inspiration of so many great artists and famous works that I have studied in my schooling and that have shaped my interest, degree, and pursuits feels really special to that museum for me. It feels like it houses a lot of the essence and nostalgia of the younger artist/designer versions of me walking around with wonderment.
What is your favorite hotel and what makes it special?
Wow, this is a hard one! So many very wonderful ones to see. As a lover of design and having a background in interiors I really appreciate the art of hospitality and well designed hotels and have had the privilege to be able to see some really beautifully done ones in my limited travels over the years, but I think any hotel, motel, or Holiday Inn can be special because of the company you are with. It’s all about the memories, not the location. From a hostel in Brooklyn with friends, to a random inn off US-101 on a road trip with my mom and sisters, to a trendy boutique hotel with my husband for a special anniversary, to one of the bigger named and better known hotels on a work trip…I cherish them all about the same truthfully and yet all differently regardless of what they looked like or how much they cost to stay at. I can think of a special memory or something that stood out to me at most of the places I have stayed at and that shapes the experience for me. Even some of the really bad ones have left memories you can laugh about or have fun stories about…eventually! Although, I will be completely honest and say that as someone who is very impacted by her surroundings and familiar with the design world, some beautiful aesthetics, cohesive branding, good website design and fonts, and intentional interior layout and furnishings is something that is really noticed and appreciated by me and does put the extra cherry on top to the whole experience if that ends up being the vibe but it’s not a prerequisite for me.
If you were a lipstick color would you be red, pink, or clear and why?
My mom’s favorite color was “lipstick pink” (aka hot pink) so hands down that. I don’t tend to wear lipstick much though, it always ends up on my teeth.
I can never get on a plane without….
A book. I love to read but tend to only do it when I’m traveling or on vacation (new years goal) but I’m also not a big movie person for some reason so I would prefer to spend the time reading and I definitely need to get lost into something to be in that tight of quarters.
How did you get into the world of art?
I have loved all things art and design since I was a kid as far back as I can remember, but I think the absolute cheesiest and most truthful answer would be Bob Ross. I loved watching his show as a kid. It mesmerized me and for my earliest years was my primary means of art exposure besides school. I begged my parents for an oil painting set when I was around ten maybe and then gave everyone in my life an aggressively saturated happy mountainscape in a super ornate gold frame from Michaels for Christmas and birthdays for a while. It was my signature move. It just kind of grew from there and as my interest developed my parents and mom especially really encouraged my pursuits and exposure to other forms of the arts taking me to museums, plays, galleries, etc. Eventually I found my way to interior design as a more, I assumed at the time, practical means of being creative (I didn’t think I could ever become an artist as a vocation), which I majored in and have spent most of my 20’s and 30’s so far working in residential design both on my own and for other companies. I always maintained my painting on the side as a hobby but created a website and began pursuing it in a more public capacity in 2020 as a bit of a pandemic pivot paired with other personal life chapter changing events at the time. I’m grateful for those harder moments the past few years to push me to pursue it fully because I am not sure I would have taken the leap at this point otherwise.
What do you do to relax?
My husband tells me I don’t know how to relax. I’m a bit type A. However, I love taking long walks in nature. It’s the source of most of my inspiration and daily quiet time. I walk a lot. I also really love spending time by the NC coast at our family’s beach place. It's my happy place and I go there frequently…and walk! I also like to sit in my breakfast room with a good cup of coffee or tea and just let my mind wander. Those are the most relaxing things to me.
When do you get the biggest surge of inspiration?
Usually on a walk! Ha! My paintings are primarily inspired by things I see in nature- sunsets, cloud formations, flowers blooming, landscapes. I have thousands of pictures on my phone of random moments on walks or out and about that I later go on to paint. It is fairly normal for me to jump up from a dinner table mid bite to go snap a sunset picture or to be on the ground taking a picture of a flower growing through the cement at the grocery store parking lot.
Prediction for the Color of 2026?
This is a hard one to forecast because we are just now starting 2025. Color is so personal, I think you should always wear whatever colors look best on you (thanks to social media I recently discovered I am a “winter”) and make you feel your best and you should treat how you decorate and design your home the same. Especially so your home as it’s such an investment and our environments can have such an impact on our day to day. So, while I fully appreciate and understand color trends and have actually worked with them a good bit over the years I do think there is a personal element to take into consideration too. A la, don’t buy the xyz piece just because xyz is trending. Fashion and interior trends are cyclical from a marketing perspective but your personal style and taste is timeless! If I had to say, I do think we have been veering away swiftly from grey tones, lots of beige and white, and muted colors over recent years and embracing increasingly more warmth and vibrancy. I see possibly a cheery, bright red or maybe even a purple hue leading the way at some point soon!
What is your idea of a date night? Dinner and a movie or dancing all night?
I’m an old soul through and through. Popping in an antique store during the late afternoon with a coffee in hand, an early dinner at 4-5 o’clock at a casual local restaurant on the patio (weather permitting), and then probably a walk to see the sunset all with our dog in tow sounds like a pretty great date to me! Top it all off with lounging on the sofa, a good show, and some break and bake cookies.
Tell us about your favorite painting that you have created.
I’m not sure that I have a favorite. I like different ones for different reasons and if you asked me any different day of the week my answer will always probably change 100 times over. It’s kind of like getting dressed in the morning and dressing based on your mood that day. Painting is an emotional process and a lot gets worked through and sorted out there on the easel/ table. There are a few that have been so special to me at the moment based on what I was going through when I painted it that I couldn’t sell them at that time but I try to hold them all very loosely as my hope and intent is always to share them with others. The first piece I ever officially sold after launching my website will always be special to me, a moody abstracted watercolor floral in shades of blue that a dear friend bought. And my first ever commission to a total stranger-to- me, a larger floral on canvas, will always be really sentimental to me because of how they believed in me and what that helped start.
One piece of advice for buying original art?
Buy what speaks to you. Art should be personal. It should connect with you on a deep level, evoke a memory of something or someone, make you feel a certain way, mark a special trip or occasion as a milestone of sorts. You should feel a little sad inside at the thought of it getting away if you don’t buy it and a little ping in your gut and your heart when you first see it. I don’t ever think you should start a collection or buy a piece based entirely on it matching an element of the room interior design or because it is currently popular or trending in some capacity if it is not something you would necessarily buy otherwise. That takes the emotion out of it and makes it more transactional or even temporary. Lean into the tension of it being a little off, not a perfect match, or even “weird” or not what everyone else is doing. I think in the day and age of social media and heightened consumerism, certain aesthetic trends have become a bit formulaic. If you buy xyz you fit the xyz style type thing and I strongly encourage you to not necessarily be “influenced” in how you buy your art and to dig deeper to find that personal connection with the artist or the piece. It is what makes it a lasting heirloom in your collection that you will cherish for years to come and it's how you hone in on your true personal style and taste. I think the best art collections are the ones that if someone looked at your collection and it made total sense to them for you to own those pieces. They help tell a story of you, your personality, your life, your interests, your hobbies, your travels on full display in your home.
