Why make art? To me, this question is as fundamental as asking, "Why eat food?" I create because I must—it's essential to who I am.

From childhood, I have always been an artist. Whether sketching on legal pads, sculpting with playdough, or stringing beads into necklaces, I was constantly making something. But when I discovered fiber art, I truly found my artistic voice. As an anthropology student, I became captivated by the rich tradition of textiles throughout human history. This fascination deepened during my semester in Cusco, Peru, where I encountered the extraordinary textile culture of the Quechua people and the Incan Empire. Immersed in their craftsmanship, I gained a profound appreciation for the intricate techniques, symbolism, and cultural significance woven into each piece.

After returning home, I knew I had to try my hand at weaving. Following a semester of Fibers I at Oklahoma Baptist University, I was completely in love with the medium. That Christmas, my parents gifted me a 1964 Leclerc 4-shaft floor loom, and I haven’t looked back since.

Weaving provides the perfect balance of structure and creative freedom. Within the defined space of the warp threads, I explore endless possibilities with color, texture, and design. It is both grounding and liberating—an intuitive process that allows my artistic instincts to flow freely.

What am I saying in my artwork? What am I aiming to convey?
Often, nothing in particular—and yet, everything.

Allow me to clarify. My materials are not just tools but instruments, conduits for creativity to take shape. My art isn’t about communicating a specific message to an audience; rather, it is an overflow of my existence, a natural response to the world around me. Inspiration is not always a grand or eloquent thing—it can be as simple as seeing wool, cotton, tinsel, or flax and feeling drawn to their creative potential. My work is an organic expression of how I experience life.

As the LORD created from an overflow of His love and goodness, I believe we, as humans made in His image, reflect that same artistic impulse. Creativity manifests in countless ways—through painting, music, writing, homemaking, cooking, engineering, even ice fishing. We are made to make, created to create. How beautiful is that?

I leave you with the words of Horatius Bonar (1861), which speak to this truth:

"In the still air the music lies unheard;
In the rough marble beauty hides unseen.
To make the music and the beauty needs
The Master's touch, the Sculptor's chisel keen."

May the Master Artist shape and refine us, so that the music within us does not go unheard, and the beauty within us does not remain unseen.