As a child, I loved to draw and write poetry. I began my painting journey as a teenager when my grandmother's friends allowed me to join in their afternoon painting class. While my children were young and growing, I tried my hand at almost every creative outlet possible.  As a military family,  we moved often and I found inspiration in every place we lived. My husband was severely wounded in Afghanistan in 2008.  We are relatively homebound due to his injuries and now empty nesters. Time has become more plentiful and I am dedicated to using it to learn, grow and improve as a painter. I enjoy acrylics and mixed media. Having grown up in the rural parts of North FL, I am drawn to nature, patina, and a balance between simplicity and complexity. I love this dichotomy between the primitive and the elegant and strive to create something that feels both raw and refined at the same time. I have been most influenced by the unknown artists around me—the quilters, woodworkers, folk artists, gardeners—those whose hearts tell them they simply must create, regardless of training, medium, resources, or audience. Both of my grandmothers were amazing creatives.  They were great sources of encouragement as well as supporters of the arts and artists around them.  Thank you for your support of the arts, Anna