About the Artist

I wasn’t always an artist, but I have always had the desire to create. I never really was far away, just not there yet, doodles in notebooks, illustrated lab notes as I followed my career path with my MS in biological sciences into research and teaching. For many years that creativity came out in original handcrafts, the garden or cooking.

A watercolor workshop with a friend opened up the world of painting. All sorts of ideas came to mind, journaling on travels, painting for friends and family, never dreaming that I could be a “real” artist. I started with watercolor classes, have mentors in the local Sacramento artist community and further augmented my studies with workshops from nationally recognized watercolor artists.

Painting for me is an expression of a memory, a feeling, a moment captured and shared. I try to be true to the natural world but evoke emotion, motion or something tangible for the viewer. I paint, journal and sketch plein air, which become my subjects for studio composition.

It really is quite enlightening when friends and family give you accolades, but after successfully doing a juried show, I really  had  begun the journey as an artist. I hope you agree and will want to give my creations a new home to share with your family and friends.

Sacramento, CA
[email protected]

Awards:
WASH Inc. Annual Member Show April 2012 Honorable Mention “Purple Iris”
WASH Inc. Annual Open Show September 2012, Don & Dorothy Steed Award, “Yosemite I”
WASH Inc. ‘A Wash with Color “,Annual Member Show April 2013 Honorable Mention, “Tall Sunshine”
WASH Inc. Go With the Flow, Annual Open Show September 2013 Award of Merit, “Matilija”
91st Annual Sacramento Camellia Show Paint Out March 2015, People’s Choice Award , "Three "
WASH In. “Go With the Flow, Annual Open Show September 2015  Honorable Mention, “Breezy”
​WASH Open Show " Go with the Flow 2022 - Honorable Mention,, "Dogwood"
WASH Open Show "Go with the Flow, 2023 - Honorable Mention  "Misty Morning"
 Exhibits:
Synergetic Artists of Sacramento (SAS), September 2011
Tour de Cluck Davis Farm School Benefit, May 2011
Northern California Arts, Inc. Aspiring Artist Debut, February 2010
Casa Gardens, Kritikos Feb. – March, 2015
Kritikos - 8 Artists, Danielle's Creamerie, Nov. - Dec. 2015
Tim Collom Gallery, "Landscapes", Sacramento, CA. , April 2016
NCA Board Show, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Galley 3, June 2016
​Kritikos: Eskaton Village, January 19 -March 19, 2017
Big Names Small Art  Crocker Art Museum, May 18, 2017
Tim Collom Gallery, "Landscapes", Sacramento, CA. , May 2017
Tim Collom Gallery, "Summer" Sacramento, CA, July 2017
​Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento presents Marleen Merchant , Sept. 16- Oct.31, 2017
Tim Collom Gallery, "Landscapes", Sacramento, CA. , April 2018 
Big Names Small Art  " Summer Smile " Crocker Art Museum, May 24, 2018
Kritikos- "Sketchy Ideas" Sacramento Fine Arts Center Foyer Gallery Sept. 2018
Big Names Small Art " Two Tulips", Crocker Art Museum, May 23, 2019
Big Names Small Art " La Peppermint Camellia", Crocker Art Museum,  2020 virtual auction and show
Big Names Small Art " Spring Camellia", Crocker Art Museum, 2021 virtual auction and show
Kritikos Group show, Elk Grove Art Center, September 4-23, 2021
SFAC Second Chances Membership Show, Jan 4-29, 2022
44th annual WASH Member Exhibition, Mar. 29-April 16, 2022
45TH annual WASH Members Exhibition Mar 28-April 15, 2023
Big Names Small Art "Upstream at Happy Isles", Crocker Art Museum, 2022 virtual auction and show
Big Names Small Art "On the Rocks" , Crocker Art Museum 2023 virtual auction and show
SFAC Second Chances Membership Show, Jan 2-27, 2024​
​Juried Shows:
Inner Views, Northern California Arts, Inc. Membership Show, July 2010 “ Iris”
KVIE Art Auction 2012 – “Triple Delight” watercolor on aquaboard
Magnum Opus XXXIII, 2012 “No Break in the Weather”
WASH, Annual Open Show, “Go with the Flow 2012” – “Yosemite 1”
WASH, Annual Open Show. “Go with the Flow 2013” – “Matilija”
Inner Views, Northern California Arts, Inc. Membership Show, July 2014, “ Sierra Glow”
WASH, Annual Open Show. “Go with the Flow 2014” – “Maroon Velvet” & “Big River at the Pacific “
2014 Bold Expressions – “Surf”
Atelier 20 Crow Show, 2014 – “Crow Shadow”
Animal House 2015, Sacramento Fine Arts Center – “Crow Shadow” Poet’s Choice
Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society “No Limits – Freedom to Create” March 8 – August 28, l
WASH, Open Show, "Go with the Flow 2017" - Grinnell Point Many Glacier
WASH, Open Show, "Go with the Flow 2018" - Yosemite Sunrise, Anchor Bay
WASH, Open Show, "Go with the Flow 2019 - Morning Dew
WASH, Open Show  "Go with the Flow 2020 (virtual) Shore Break & Paths by the River ,August 25 to October 28, 2020
​WASH Open Show " Go with the Flow 2022 - Dogwood, August 16- Sept. 10, 2022
WASH Open Show “Go with the Flow 2023 - Misty Morning, Augusta 15 - September 9, 2023
​California Landscapes,  Mother Nature's Mirror June 10 - July  6, 2024
WASH Open Show “Go with the Flow 2024 - Cool Blues, 
  
Professional Organizations:
Sacramento Fine Arts Center
Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons (WASH, Inc.) 


Education:
University of San Francisco, BS, Biology
University of California, Davis, MS Genetics
University of California, Davis , Teaching Credential

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