Creating and Bringing Beauty and Inspiration to Others is my Passion.

 

Hi, I’m Connie

Me acting silly and pretending to be a human compass. — Sassafras Mountain in South Carolina

 

Guess I’m the epitome of the late bloomer. From the time I was a child I always loved art. My favorite toy was a brand new box of Crayola Crayons. I can still remember how I felt when opening that box. Seeing all the wonderful colors and smelling the wax goodness was invigorating and comforting all at once.

But it wasn’t until I was 51 years old that I began painting. As I started my career, I left art behind for the world of numbers. I longed to do something with art, but I always told myself I couldn’t. I didn’t have that gift.

Then one day, I stumbled across an art set in a Barnes and Noble. The best way to describe what I felt when I saw it was a calling. It didn’t make a bit of sense, but it truly called to me. I ignored it at first and was drawn back three times before I picked it up. Feeling silly with the purchase after I got home, I promptly put it away in a closet. It sat unused for two years before I opened it. On a warmish February day in 2014, I decided, what the heck, let’s just play and see what happens.

After I did that, I’ve never looked back. Now I spend my time creating with paint or going on nature walks with my iPhone gathering beautiful snippets of inspiration.

“My only regret is that I didn’t start earlier, but hopefully I’ll live to be a hundred so I’ll have many more creative years.”

Most of my paintings are of nature. I paint what’s around me and I live about a half mile off a rural road in the upstate of South Carolina. So I see barns with nearby horses, deer, birds, rabbits and lots and lots of trees, and quite often the white cat I rescued almost eight years ago. His name is Riley. His human is Jimmy who happens to be my husband.

Riley Looking for Trouble

He really is quite spoiled.

Then last summer we added a little whirlwind of excitement called Percy Jackson!

My wish is that through my art, you will see that the ordinary things in life are not so ordinary at all, but rather extraordinary. I try to add a touch of magic to every piece I paint. And should you decide to bring my artwork or photography into your home, I would be most honored.

Connie

I painted from my kitchen (shown above) for eight years. Then last winter I was able to acquire my own space for painting, reading, and just hermiting away in general. I even named it, “The Hermitage.”

This is a 12 X 24 building in our back yard with half of it for painting and

the other end is for reading, reflecting, writing. As an introvert, this is such a blessing. I tried to go with more of a mid-century modern decor.

Percy in Studio




To pass by a sunset or a field of flowers without taking notice surely is an offense against its Creator.

Invitation

By Mary Oliver

Oh do you have time to linger for just a little while out of your busy and very important day for the gold finches that have gathered in a field of thistles?

For a musical battle, to see who can sing the highest note, or the lowest, or the most expressive of mirth, or the most tender?

Their strong, blunt beaks drink the air as they strive melodiously not for your sake and not for mine. And not for the sake of winning but for sheer delight and gratitude — believe us, they say, it is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.

I beg of you, do not walk by without pausing to attend to this rather ridiculous performance. It could mean something. It could mean everything. It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote: You must change your life.

I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?

~ Vincent Van Gogh

Chat with me

I also take commissions. Contact me if you want me to paint something just for you.