The process of creating any kind of artwork is a spiritual process for me. I love that I can step into a world filled with symbolism and cosmic matter through a variety of mediums and styles of art—realistic landscapes, modern abstract expressionism, and very spiritual figures. I like to call them Ancestors. My experiences collaborating with indigenous communities have helped me find a deeper connection to the past, present, and future through prayer and meditation. In many indigenous cultures around the world, rock art and petroglyphs helped ancient artists express themselves while recording their stories into the rock walls of canyons and caves.  Lines, dots, and natural pigments from the Earth  help tell the story of their connection to the natural and spiritual worlds where all things are connected.

When I step into my studio, I consider it a holy place where anything can happen. I believe my work is guided and when I listen and respond accordingly my work flows through me and onto canvas, paper, and sometimes into assemblages. Whatever the creation, it feels powerful and healing in many ways. Each color, symbol, and certain items in my images are intended to have deep meanings and messages for the viewer. I believe that each of my paintings has their own spiritual energy and will connect with the right person at the right time in their lives. When they see it, they will know it was painted just for them.

I love to paint stars. They are inspired by some of my Indigenous friends. They say that humans are made of the very same elements as the stars in the Milky Way. We are born of stars and when we die we return to the Milky Way to watch over our loved ones after we are gone. There is proof that humans carry the exact same elements as stars in our bodies, and yes, I like to believe our spirits.

My most recent book, Wild and Wonderful: A Child’s Guide to the Arkansans River and the Creatures that Live There is based upon my Sacred Rivers exhibition—a series of  paintings featuring the Arkansas River and the creatures that live in and near it. My goal is to help children connect to the natural world and to learn about conservation. The Sacred Rivers artwork is meant for children to gently explore the art with their eyes and finger tips.

My Books

Wild and Wonderful: A Child’s Guide to the Arkansans River the Creatures that Live There. Harmony House Art Studio. To be released April 1, 2026.

Deep Dust Then and Now: Unlocking the Mysterious Past of Oklahoma’s Geological  History through Scientific Discovery. University of Oklahoma, United States National Science Foundation (NSF), and the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). 2026.

Walking with Chipeta: A 179 Year Journey through Chipeta’s World to Mine (Winner Colorado Independent Publishers Association, Evvy Silver Award, 2023)

Searching for Chipeta: The Story of a Ute and Her People (Winner Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association Award, 2005)

We are the Noochew: A Brief History of the Ute People and their Colorado Connection (Winner Colorado Independent Publishers Association Evvy Award, 2006)

Keeper of the Pipe: The True Story of a Boy Called John and his Amazing Discovery of the Lost Ute Pipe (Merit Award, Evvy-Colorado Independent Publishers Association, 2006)

Hiking through Colorado History, Westcliffe Publishers, 2000.

Cucumber Soup, Fulcrum Publishing (Finalist for the Benjamin Franklin Award, 2000)

See resume at www.harmonyhousestudio.com for more publishing history

 Scan this code to see my Sacred River paintings.