Welcome STK Studios Gallery of Collected Works

My designs emerge from my soul and intuition—my sense of wonder about the natural world. My most recent abstract works explore energy and movement in the style of organic abstraction and gestural landscape. Some bring an atmospheric quality while others convey the same dynamic flow found in wood grains, veins and transparent layers in natural stone, or patterns left in a creek bed when the water ebbs. 

I practice in several styles and find that one teaches the next. I began with abstract acrylics, then was drawn toward gestural landscapes. Expanding to work with encaustics introduced a biomorphic quality across all my paintings. In either medium, color, texture, and movement are the primary elements in my designs. All my pieces contain dozens of layers rich with understory. In my abstracts, I begin with a sense of play, often with no initial intent beyond exploring a color. Because encaustic paints are cured with heat, I partner with that heat source in a way that feels spiritual. I know a piece nears completion when I sense a connection to some metaphor, memory, or atmosphere. At that point, I stand back with more discernment to examine principles of design, then edit as needed.

I’ve had many creative interests throughout my life, including photography, interior design, gardening, stained-glass window design, and began my formal painting practice early in 2022. I'm a “self-taught” artist in that I hold no formal degree in art, though I’ve benefited mightily from many workshops, and particularly through intensive coaching and other feedback from artists all over the world through the Art2Life Academy, of which I've been a member since 2022. Since I started painting, I’ve released over 220 works for sale. More than half have found homes with collectors.

I am also a writer, so an added lyrical element comes through the titles of my work, which suggest the short stories about each piece that I share on Social Media.  Please follow if you appreciate a good yarn.