My mother’s name was Phoebe.
My father’s name was Spider.
My family calls me Rose.
So, a Bird and a Bug gave birth to a flower. No wonder I’ve always been happiest foraging in nature for blooms and vines, sticks and brambles all while befriending birds, insects, and slithery things.
I grew up playing in the woods. In Virginia, I painted little flowers on the shells of patient turtles, and nurtured a pet worm named Sandy in a soggy shoebox. My pet ducks gossiped as they splashed beside me while I played in our little creek there. I ate wild muscadine grapes as my cousin and I convinced grackles and raccoons to take gifts of seed and fruits from our hands in Atlanta. I’m a nature girl thru and thru–which explains why I use flowers, twigs, rocks, seedpods and little other botanical bits and bobs in my art.
I grew up dabbling in oils, watercolors, yarn, threads and typewriter ribbon beside my grandmother, Boo. She was a prolific artist and published author.
When I’m in the state of creative flow, I’ve come to believe I’m collaborating with the Divine–the Universe and I share a cubicle. I still make the coffee.
I like the term Awe-ism because creativity draws me into a state of awe and wonder on a daily basis It connects me to interesting ideas and fascinating people. I even share how making art and writing helped me find serenity when I struggled with the effects of loved one’s addictions.
I feel fizzy when I can help others tap into their own creativity by teaching makeshops. I also love to use my background in advertising to help folks brainstorm, concept, and crystalize their own new exciting chapters and business start-ups. I call it JoyBubbling because creative ideas bubble up easily for me. Collaboration is pure oxygen.
I’m married to Luke, mother to Reed and Preston. Sister to Bill and Senour. I’m so grateful for gobs of time and space to focus on the myriad things that interest me.
Oh, and I love to hold fresh, creamy babies.
