I am a female visual artist. My preferred medium is oil paint and my styles span a number of genres, from realism to abstracts (representational and expressionism). My favorite thing to do is to mash up the styles and create abstract realism paintings.I live to paint. It is a meditative experience. When I dip my brush into the paint, time ceases to exist. Some people call this the zone or being in the flow. Whatever you label it, I think Cecil B. DeMille’s quote says it best for me, “Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.”Heavily influenced by my rural Michigan upbringing, my work focuses on nature and includes rich colors.  Flowers are one of my favorite subjects. Since the 1800s, flowers have been symbolic of our feelings. I love to paint them, because for me, they are a way to share positive vibes with our crazy world. Because life isn't all hearts and flowers, I also express my voice through special projects, where I paint about mental illness and addiction. I feel art is a great visual impetus for conversation about important societal issues.