Résumé

Born September 7, 1950

EDUCATION / POSITIONS

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Arts (honors), California State College, Bakersfield, 1979

Albert Handell Workshops, ongoing studies, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1988 to 1994

Professional Artist, showing and selling primarily in the southwestern US since 1979

Teacher, pastel painting for adults, classes and workshops, 1989 to present

Writer, The Pastel Journal, 1999 to present

SELECTED SHOWS

Masterworks, Albuquerque, New Mexico 2005

Pastel Society of America International Exhibition, New York, New York 1998

Magnifico! Invites, Albuquerque, New Mexico 1997

Pastel Society of America International Exhibition, New York, New York, 1990

Southeastern Pastel Society International Exhibition, Atlanta, Georgia, 1989

Pastel Society of New Mexico National Exhibitions, Albuquerque, 1989 to 1999

New Mexico State Fair Professional Fine Arts Exhibit, 1988 to 1997, 1999

Crestmoor Gallery Invitational, Denver, Colorado, 1983

"Landforms," One Artist Show, Mountain Road Gallery, Albuquerque, 1983

"The People and the Land," Union Gallery, University of New Mexico, 1983

SELECTED HONORS

2009, DVDs of Workshop Videos, www.artistsnetwork.tv

2008, Workshop Videos for Artists Network TV, www.artistsnetwork.tv

2007, 'Scent of Rain' gifted to the State of New Mexico Capitol Art Foundation

2007, Contributor to Painting with Pastels by Maggie Price

2005, "Nighttime City", chosen for inclusion in Pure Color: The Best of Pastel

2000, "Mad Red Sunset" top 100, Experimental Category, The Artist's Magazine Competition

2000, The Artist's Magazine Calendar Selection

1999, "Early Canyon" Top 100, Landscape Category, The Artist's Magazine Competition,

1998, "Sky Highway" Finalist, The Artist's Magazine Competition

1997, "Going Places" cover image for Albuquerque Women in Business Directory

1996, "Blanco Reflections" selected illustration for The Pastel Painter's Solution Book, Quarto Publishers, London, England

1994, "Blue Skies Over Golden" permanent collection, State of New Mexico

1992, Pastel Society of New Mexico National Exhibition

1990, Pastel Society of New Mexico National Exhibition

1989, International Exhibition, Southeastern Pastel Society, Atlanta Georgia

MEMBERSHIPS

Founding Member of The Pastel Society of New Mexico, 1989

Member of The Pastel Society of New Mexico, 1989 to present

Signature Member, Pastel Society of New Mexico, 1999

STATEMENT

I believe we are all given gifts from God and it's up to us to use them to do God's work. As I paint I experience the glory of our Lord's creation, and try to imbue each one with a bit of His spirit, serenity or joy, imperfectly translated through my talent.

My work is a culmination of 25 years' experience in painting the landscapedistilling the shapes and colors to their essence. I paint landscapes clearly derived from reality but made charismatic with lively strokes of pastel. I like to swipe at the paper with purples and yellows, creating mountains and sky, then add calligraphic touches that shimmer and sparkle as light.

I want to lead my viewer to a greater understanding of the awesome and inspiring landscape all around us, or the simple dignity of one of God's creatures, by painting and by teaching others how to paint.

MY ART HISTORY

I've been a professional artist for over twenty-five years. I started teaching pastel painting to adult students in 1989 and also founded The Pastel Society of New Mexico, a group that has grown and enjoyed excellent guidance from many people. Since its inception in March 1999 I've been involved with The Pastel Journal. I sometimes write educational articles that call on my years as a teacher and painter, as well as feature articles about pastel artists from all over the country, for national magazines such as The Artist's Magazine.

I'm blessed with a wonderful husband, Dan Secor, and our son Chris has enriched our lives beyond compare. I prioritize my life this way:

Child of God, wife, mom, daughter, painter, teacher and writer.

My career has been a journey in search of two ideas: truth and beauty. The greatest gift of my life was given when I became a Christian. I now realize that truth and beauty come from God. As I paint I seek to show His power and majesty, my serenity and joy, however imperfectly translated through my talent. I glimpse for a moment a long line of painters standing behind me, and behind them is Jesus, the maker of it all. Now I look forward to daily lessons in truth and beauty from the Master.

When I graduated from college in 1979 I drove from California to Albuquerque. Although my degree was in printmaking, I became a landscape painter overnight. I was in love with the land and I credit part of the reason for my success as an artist to painting the landscape.

In school we were mired in 'conceptual' art. My professors couldn't give me any definition; they piddled around with grand-sounding ideas about 'truth' and 'beauty', implying that these were somehow involved in conceptual art, but never making anything that looked beautiful or rang with truth. Then I looked up and saw the landscape, and there was what I was looking for right outside!

Over a number of years I moved into pastels, slowly dropping other media, needing color to express fully the landscape. I spent long hours in workshops with Albert Handell, who pushed me, generously encouraging me with his painful honesty. I learned the rules and honed my skills.

I discovered that the struggle to learn had produced in me a heart for teaching. Rather than being given an immense natural talent requiring little effort, I had developed the ability to explain how to put pastel on paper to make a landscape.

Then one day I picked up a vivid purple pastel and dashed it across my paper. I added bright orange, screaming yellow, touches of brilliant green and magenta. My knowledge of the proper values allowed me to arrive quickly at a rich, loose, painterly piece that was very satisfying. Here was truth and beauty in my own voice.

Now, by God's grace, I know that this world is His creation, sometimes spoken in whispers, sometimes shouted joyously, but always speaking of Him. May my work speak always of Him.