As an art student in San Francisco in the 1990’s, I received my BFA in Painting and Printmaking. While I enjoyed both mediums, woodblock printmaking became a passion for a long while, and as long as I had an appropriate studio to do it in. Once that aspect became too challenging, I switched to acrylic painting, which was easier (and cleaner) to do indoors. That not only allowed me to relearn techniques I practiced in college, but also to develop a painting style of my own. I attribute living in beautiful mountain areas to my revival of artistic inspiration, particularly the urge to portray the landscapes I see all around. I now seem to have plenty of subject matter to help me create. My love of working with wood never left me, though. When I recently learned of pyrography (wood-burning), I had an instant connection with the medium, and felt inclined to incorporate it into my landscape paintings. I enjoy using the tool like a paintbrush, meshing the burning with the acrylics, and utilizing it as color as well as contrast and shadows. I’m also trying to find ways to add some wood carving into the mix, bringing my old passion into my newest.