Two years ago I decided to sign up for art lessons offered by the LaGrange Art Museum. I had never had any art lessons and was hesitant to enroll. My great-grandmother was an artist and I have always wanted to paint. I had taken some art history and art appreciation courses while studying at Mary Baldwin College but I had never tried to create my own art.
I can not believe how much I have learned. The revelation of learning how to look at the world has opened up a new horizon for me. Under the outstanding and skillful instruction of Connie Wilkerson and Cora Waterhouse, I have learned to express myself artistically and to create artwork that I never would have thought possible. Connie and Cora are talented professional artists who also possess the talent of teaching. They share their artistic knowledge enthusiastically with their students. I am very grateful to them and to the LaGrange Art Museum for the opportunity to learn and grow through the art lessons they offer.
I love the outdoors, nostalgic southern scenes and still life’s filled with richly colored fruit. I have many subjects I hope to paint. I enjoy working in pastel and oil. I have plans for hunting scenes, scenes from farm life and landscapes of the beautiful piedmont of Georgia. I grew up in LaGrange, the oldest of 11 children. My father was a physician, but he raised Angus cattle as a hobby and we spent a great deal of time in the country. My mother was a musician and our home was always filled with beautiful music. I studied piano and violin. Several large paintings done by my great-grandmother hung in our home. I think the exposure to the beauty of the land in addition to my mother’s influence of music and art appreciation set the stage for my desire to paint.
