Several years ago I started working with jewelry as a stress reliever from my day job as a grant writer and graphic designer. Composing beautiful necklaces from polished and semi-precious stones, ceramic and glass beads, sandalwood malas, and shells I collect brings me a sense of calm. I am inspired by natural materials and colors and my pieces have a simplicity and elegance.

Then, I discovered drawing and sketching, which for me is an even more meditative activity. I began with nature journaling, which the Mendonoma coast is so perfect for. I love making detailed sketches of our area’s abundant plants and animals. On regular walks around my meadow home on The Sea Ranch, I take my macro lens and capture photos of our area’s incredible diversity of wildflowers opening, ferns unfurling, mushrooms scooting up through the soil, trees budding out in spring, and come back to my studio to sketch them in ink and watercolor. I also sketch native birds and other wildlife, as well as our rambling woolly sheep herd.

One day as a gift I sketched my friend’s little dog, who had recently passed. I started sketching more furry pets for others. I am available for pet portrait commissions based on a high-quality photo of your furry loved one, and my husband, portrait photographer David Yager can also do a photo portrait of your pet, which I can work from, or that can stand on its own.

My favorite materials are Sakura Pigma Micron permanent black ink pens, watercolor, gauche, and art markers. I’ve participated in two Wild Wonder nature journaling conferences, learning techniques from cartooning to botanical realism, and I am involved in the local life drawing group hosted by the Gualala Arts Center. I love how drawing and painting has changed how I see things. I see color, pattern, light, and shadow rather than just “tree.”

This year I’ve begun experimenting in acrylic paint, and am learning Chinese brush painting with sumi ink from local master Andrea Allen. There is no end to painting and drawing media to learn, and no end to the beauty of this corner of the world. I look forward to your visit.