I didn't plan on Salida.
After 52 years in the South, leaving everything familiar was a little scary if I'm honest. But sometimes we are called to step out of our comfort zone and trust that something bigger is waiting on the other side.
I found a man who loved me and supported my art. He is why I am here. And when I arrived in the Arkansas River Valley, I wasn't sure I would make it. Little did I know that God had bigger plans for me.
From art shows to opening The Wildflower Studio, to creating art full time, I have found a sweet hometown that feels like it was waiting for me. I can ride my bike downtown, where my studio is. I walk to the farmer's market. I've gained new friends and found a community that feels like home.
And the art followed.
The Rooted in the Valley collection grew out of all of it. These mixed media botanical collages begin with cyanotype, botanicals printed in sunlight on paper I prepare by hand, then layered with gel printed papers, stenciled textures, handmade papers, watercolor, acrylic, and gold. From intimate studies of garden botanicals to sweeping valley views, each piece grows out of what surrounds me here.
The layers are not accidental. They represent who I was, who I am now, and who I am becoming.
The collection is anchored by two large diptych panels, She Faces East and She Follows West, together forming What the Stars Know, each 24x48 inches mounted on wood. Alongside them are Surrendered and After the Surrender, two companion pieces made on the same day, telling their own quiet story about letting go and what blooms after.
Every piece starts with botanicals growing outside my studio door. The layers become something you can bring inside yours.
And if you want to learn this method firsthand, this is also the heart of my Mixed Media Botanicals workshop here in Salida. Come make something with me.
[SHOP THE ROOTED IN THE VALLEY COLLECTION]
[LEARN ABOUT THE MIXED MEDIA BOTANICALS WORKSHOP]