About
I first fell in love with art as a small child and it has kept me captivated by the many ways it can be expressed. I have been pursuing it seriously since high school, where I began to enter art competitions and decided that I wanted to pursue it for the rest of my life. I went to Carson-Newman College and graduated with a BA having a double major in Art (with an emphasis in painting) and Religion as well as a minor in Photography. I furthered the pursuit of excellence in my oil painting by taking classes at diDomizio's Art Center.
I started Manifest Gumption in 2010. I chose the name out of my desire to express and make seen, or Manifest the art of mixing colors which is a 1930's definition of Gumption. I love vibrant colors and capturing things that are often overlooked. While I am currently focused on creating wood burned and hand painted jewelry, I also work in a variety of mediums.
I value following my inspirations for the day, whether that is photography, painting, drawing, sewing, paper-crafting, making jewelry, restoring old things or creative writing. For many years I felt that I needed to focus on one aspect of creativity, neglecting all of my other interests and inspirations. I now believe that creativity, no matter which direction it is flowing, when followed stirs up, strengthens, and inspires creativity in myself and others.
