My creative journey . . .

I believe each of us has the soul of an artist. The creative spirit emerges in different ways at different times in our lives, and some of us are lucky enough to be called upon to express that spirit in visual art. But, like many of you, my creative journey did not begin with art!

Upon completing a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Kansas in 1994, I came to Minnesota to teach mathematics at Carleton College. Although I loved the warm and fascinating people of the Carleton College community, the fast-paced, high-stimulus environment seemed to be out of sync with my more contemplative and solitary nature.

In 2001, I left Carleton, and over the course of the next year, returned to my childhood absorption in closely observing and recording the natural world, but now with the eye of an artist. I had no prior training in art, just a compelling need to express in color and light the wonder I had always felt in nature. My work is ranges from fairly realistic to rather abstract, but each piece is a celebration of the colors, forms and patterns of the natural world.

I’m an active participant in the “healing arts” movement, in which original artwork is used to help create a welcoming, soothing and uplifting environment in hospitals, medical clinics, wellness or fitness centers, nursing homes, and other places of health and healing. I keep striving to capture the feeling of being in nature even when a painting doesn’t actually represent some particular object or scene. I hope you come away from my paintings refreshed, feeling like you’ve re-connected with the natural world in a healing and uplifting way.

My work is in the permanent collection of several healthcare facilities, including the Northfield Hospital, the Hudson Hospital, Hennepin County Medical Center, Fairview-University Hospital, Curve Crest Clinics and Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, and the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, as well as numerous private collections.

I recently moved to the beautiful Oregon Coast, where I’m exploring new landscapes, wave motion and the spectacular light!

You can reach me via email at: lynne@dragonflyspiritstudio.com. (Please note: There are thousands of you and only one of me. I can’t provide individual assistance by email with questions about how to paint, what to buy, or where to find supplies. Please use the sitewide search to find videos and articles about these topics.