I began painting during a year abroad in 2006 in order to connect with people and to savor and share the rich experience of traveling through Japan and southern Asia. Since then, my watercolor set has become my constant companion, allowing me to communicate, tell stories, and reach people in an emotional way across the divides of language, age, and culture. Whether I’m sketching with a crowd of cattle ranchers at the Stock Show or sitting alone in a mountain forest, painting is a means for me to express my curiosity about the world, to explore new things, and to remain open to new experience.

My plein air and studio painting practice dovetails with my work as a children’s book illustrator. I am the illustrator of eight picture books, including the award-winning THE FISHEMAN AND THE WHALE (Macmillan Children’s, 2019), my debut picture book as both author and illustrator. Many of my books focus on nature and our relationship with the natural world. Visitors to my studio will get the chance to see not just how I create my paintings but also a behind-the-scenes peek at how children’s books are made, from storyboard and manuscript to the final product.

Through my work I hope to create images that are inspiring, accessible, and memorable, and to help young readers and art appreciators alike discover the beauty and diversity of our world.