Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU.
None- this is a first for me!
Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites.
Other than the card that won me this challenge, here are a few of my favorites:
Papercut/collage style is really fun for me, and I especially love colors in this one.
This one has two of my favorite things- a pun and quirky hand lettering. I was very excited to earn Design of the Day honors with this card.
I think this little bird is really cute and I love the mixed media look with the stitching effect.
Please list any of your professional social media sites.
What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card.
I was going for a bright and whimsical vibe with bold letters and I thought the XOXO was a good place to start. Then I started filling in the empty space with the flowers and shapes, using stamp brushes from a set I created for myself. And I love using textures and patterns, so as always, I spent a lot of time experimenting with those.
What sparked your interest in art? Did you start as a young child?
I would say my creativity started as a child. My mom is very creative- sewing, baking and crafts of every kind. Back in those days, DIY wasn’t a buzzword- it was just life. So I think my siblings and I grew up being crafty. In my early 20’s, I started doing calligraphy and did a few paid jobs. Then I started an embroidery business, which really fueled my interest and skill with lettering and design.
Do you have formal training or are you self-taught?
Self-taught.
Is your work done by hand and then scanned or do you work entirely on the computer?
I am entirely digital.
Have you ever/do you currently have a job other than as an artist?
I am retired now, but I have had two very different careers. I was a Medical Technologist, and have worked in hospital labs, a doctor’s office lab and even in a genetic testing lab. I also ran an embroidery shop from home with two commercial machines for about 15 years.
What GCU artist(s) do you admire?
A few impressive artists that I have seen are Colleen Kong-Savage (her paper cut style makes me so happy!), Lisa Lorenz (beautiful colors and scenes!) and Ron Magnes (great pun cards).
What would we be surprised to learn about you?
I’ve been designing cards for less than 2 years. But years ago, I had a desktop program (loaded from a disc!) for card making. You could choose your graphic, add text and print it out. Who knew where that would end up decades later 😉
Ok, now for the fast five, fun questions …
Describe your first car and what you loved or hated most about it. A VW Bug that I shared with my sister. It was just a fun little car.
What’s the most unusual item in your desk/workspace?
A large wooden bookshelf with a bin at the bottom that was the toy chest my siblings and I had as kids. My great uncle built it to my mom’s specifications.
Which is your favorite, puppies or kittens?
Puppies. I have a Great Pyrenees named Biscuit that was the biggest, softest, most adorable puppy you’ve ever seen!
What is your greatest irrational fear?
I am irrationally scared of heights.
List something that is on your bucket list.
I’m not a big bucket list person, but I’d like to see the Grand Canyon.