I prefer to work directly with Nature ("plein-air"- a French term meaning outdoors) to best capture on canvas the energy and mood of the moment as well as the light and atmosphere of the landscape. The quickly changing light and weather, forces my hand to paint fast and decisively with no time to over-analyze my subject but just paint what I see. Painting this way feels as if I'm on auto-pilot, totally immersed in the present moment.

The specific sites inspired for the paintings are chosen from the landscape around where I live and have the most connection with, namely the Jackson Hole area. The soft-focused style of my work, however, speaks not of an actual physical place on the map, but a metaphysical place of mind, a universal mood and feeling of nature that is ephemeral, serene and romantic.

Since a child, I knew expressing myself through painting and drawing was going to be my life journey. The act of creating brings me great pleasure and gives me much fulfillment and purpose in life. High school advanced placement art classes grounded in traditional art along with majoring in Fine Art at UCLA's School of The Arts, a program rooted in conceptual art,, gave me a well-varied art foundation to take off from. After graduating, I worked as a graphic artist for two years but soon realized I had to try to make my dream of painting full-time into a reality.

I have been painting professionally since 1997, developing my knowledge by taking plein-air workshops, most notably with professional Jackson Hole artists, Scott Christensen and Greg McHuron, and by painting on location, studying nature. I am represented by Trio Fine Art in Jackson, Wyoming and the Kneeland Gallery in Sun Valley, Idaho. I was selected by Southwest Art Magazine as an "Artist to Watch" in the January, 2003 issue and in November of 2004 an article about my work was featured in American Artist Magazine. I currently reside in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with my husband, dog and two cats.

Born: 1972, Berkeley, CA

EDUCATION
1995 University of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art
1993 Scuola Di Leonardo Da Vinci, Florence, Italy

EXHIBITIONS
2004 The Kneeland Gallery, "Group Show" Ketchum, ID
2004 Molly Martin Gallery, "New Works," Jackson Hole, WY
2003 Teton Pines, "New Works," Jackson Hole, WY
2003 La Quinta Arts Foundation , "Desert Plein-Air," La Quinta, CA
2002 Sweetwater Restaurant, "Wyoming Landscapes," Solo show, Jackson Hole, WY
2002 Betty Rock Cafe/Gallery, "Plein-Air Paintings," Solo show, Jackson Hole, WY
2002 Wyoming State Museum, "Governor's Capitol Art Exhibition", Cheyenne, WY
2002 The ArtWest Gallery, "Group Show", Jackson Hole, WY
2001 The Kneeland Gallery, "Group Show", Ketchum, ID
2000 Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Permanent Exhibit, Salinas, CA
1999 Pitzer's of Carmel, "Two Person Show", Carmel, CA
1999 Carmel Art Festival, "Plein-Air Paintings", Carmel, CA
1999 Pacific Grove Art Center, "Landscapes", Solo Show, Pacific Grove, CA
1998 Monterey Museum of Art, "Christmas Miniature Show", Monterey, CA
1998 Monterey Museum of Art, "Juried All-Media Regional Show", Monterey, CA 1998 Winfield Gallery, Auxiliary spaces, Carmel, CA
1997 Civic Arts Gallery, "Plein-Air Landscapes", Martinez, CA
1995 Landing Gallery, "Group Show," Los Angeles, CA
1994 The Wight Gallery, "Undergraduate Juried Art Exhibit", U.C.L.A., Los Angeles, CA
1991 Santa Catalina School Gallery, "Group Show", Monterey, CA
1990 Monterey County Regional Junior Exhibit, Juried Group Show, Monterey, CA

HONORS
2004 Feature Article "Interpreting and Conveying Mood en Plein-Air", November 2004 AMERICAN ARTIST MAGAZINE
2003 Selected as "ARTIST TO WATCH", January, 2003, SOUTHWEST ART MAGAZINE
2002 Purchase Award, "Governor's Capitol Art Exhibition", Wyoming State Museum , Cheyenne, WY
1999 Painting, Morning Light awarded "Second Place", Carmel Art Festival, "Plein-Air Painting Competition", Carmel, CA
1998 Painting, Falling Sky, accepted in "Monterey County's Juried All-Media Regional Exhibit", Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA
1991 Portfolio received "Top Honors", "Advanced Placement Art Exam", National Competition
1990 Drawing awarded "Third Place", "Monterey County Regional Exhibit", Monterey, CA

BIBLIOGRAPHY
American Artist Magazine "Interpreting and Conveying Moods en Plein Air" by Peggy Arenz, November, 2004
Southwest Art, "Artist to Watch", January, 2003, page 20/22.
Stepping Out, Jackson Hole News & Guide, December 11-18, 2002, page 15. Jackson Hole Guide, Jackson Hole, WY, Sept. 4-11, 2002, page D4
Stepping Out, Jackson Hole News, Jackson Hole, WY, Sept. 4-11, 2002, page 10
Stepping Out, Jackson Hole News, Jackson Hole, WY, March 6-12, 2002, page 11.
American Art Review, October 1999, page 82. (work presented in)
Southwest Art, September 1999, page 96.
Gallery Showcase, Carmel, CA, Summer 1999, back cover. (work presented in)
Go! Monterey County Herald, Monterey, CA April 15-21, 1999, page 6.
The Sun, Monterey, CA April 15, 1999, page 8-9.