The Bountiful Series is an encouragement to create the most beautiful life possible, even in difficult circumstances.

In February of 2011 I was asked to participate in The House Beautiful Pink Show by the Blackbird Gallery in Chicago. I was a finalist for the national prize and then offered a solo show at The Blackbird. In April of that year, my husband of twenty-three years told me that he wanted a divorce. Boom.

I called the show “Bountiful: Images on Gratitude and Attitude in Challenging Times”. Following the economic collapse of 2008 our society had not yet recovered and fear was pervasive.

As the fear had come directly to my doorstep, I decided to paint all of the images that I would need for the journey into a new life. I painted the things on which I wanted to focus: Faith, Hope, Love, Courage, Prayer, Balance, Tenacity, Joy, Friendship, Forgiveness and Optimism.

Looking at these paintings carries me through difficult days, reminding me to put my feet on the floor and stoke the fire that lives within.

For me “The Bountiful Series” was the beginning of a lifelong professional practice of painting visual intentions, mantras and touchstones that call to us pull forward, creating our best possible life.