sabrina paints

Raised in Alaska, I’ve never been able to glamorize much beyond jeans and flannel, and leaving my hometown to attend Lewis & Clark College (Portland, Oregon) felt like one gigantic culture shock. As a Freshman, I was fortunate to attend my first proper art class taught by the well-known, Dr. Phyllis Yes. Yes introduced the class to "live model" drawing—which initially shocked 18-year old me. After a few wonderful art classes, however, it quickly became clear I should transfer to a true art school—but it “wasn’t in the cards,” as they say. Even the art teacher left on sabbatical. Instead, I found enjoyment doodling professors during Lecture (and anonymously leaving them on their office doors). Eventually, even the doodling ended.

 

I never left Portland (it is too beautiful!), and after a career in graphic design, spent over ten years using my creativity to teach art literacy and gardening to students.

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Later, as life slowed down, the thirst to create art began to gnaw again. Repeatedly, I began to literally dream about painting, a medium I had never attempted before, and awoke wondering, is painting something achievable for me?

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Fortuitously, a chance encounter with artist Julie Armstrong Peltz, led to learning the very thing I dreamt about—oil painting.  Whether it’s painting children, chickens, wedding couples…it has become my joy. My first portrait, "Sophia," was actually the image from my dreams. 

 

Currently, I split my time between two passions—painting, and working with children with special needs. I reside in Lake Oswego, Oregon with my husband John, and an English Lab, named Merlin.

 

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