Finding My Way Back to Making
I grew up in Côte d’Ivoire, where school let out from June through September during the monsoon season. Long rainy days kept us indoors, and that’s where I happily spent my time making things—drawing, sewing, and painting plaster santons. Creativity came naturally to me, not as a goal, but as a way to pass the time.
There were no craft stores in town at the time, but there were many fabric shops. When my mother bought local African textiles to take to the seamstress, I often went along. I remember being mesmerized by the bold colors and patterns of the fabric rolls—those early impressions have never quite left me.
As I moved through school, creativity slowly gave way to practicality. In the French education system of the 1970s, students were steered early toward academic tracks that shaped their future careers. I was placed on a math and physics path, which eventually led me to the United States to study electrical and biomedical engineering.
Even then, I never stopped making things. Alongside my studies and professional career, I knitted, sewed, learned new techniques, and eventually discovered pottery. Creativity remained a quiet companion, always present in the background.
Oil painting held a special fascination for me. I admired artists who could convey emotion through their work, and the color and light of Impressionism inspired me most.
After the birth of my children, I stepped away from my professional career to raise and homeschool them. During those years, I often imagined what it might look like to live a more artful life—but homeschooling was a full-time commitment, and the timing wasn’t right.
That changed when my youngest entered high school. I joined a weekly workshop at the Art Students League of Denver, where I spent several formative years studying alongside Doug Dawson, a master pastelist and oil painter. Without a formal art education, I credit Doug’s generosity, structure, and encouragement for helping me grow as an artist. Just as importantly, painting in open studio sessions introduced me to a community of artists and friendships I still cherish.
Today, my work is inspired by the landscapes around me—both rugged and pastoral. I find subjects on quiet walks near home or while hiking in the wilderness. Painting these places has deepened my appreciation for the environments I’ve lived in and loved.
I now live with my husband and our cat in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Between gardening, renovating our cottage, and spending time in the studio, I continue to make space for painting—returning, again and again, to the creative life that first took root during those rainy childhood days.
“The Lilac House”
16 x 20 inches, Oil on Canvas