Nostalgia and realism are two words that seem to describe my art. My education and much of my work experience was in film and advertising, so I have been drawn to subjects that are part of our popular culture. I am a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, now of Pasadena, California. My career began as an animation designer working on television commercials and later partnered with my husband John Alvin to form a design and illustration studio creating key art and marketing campaigns for major motion pictures. I have been painting and showing my fine art work since the 1980’s.
My goal is to bring the viewer into the painting by evoking a sense of recognition and emotion, bringing them to a warm, fuzzy place. Although the work resolves to an almost photographic image, I am actually quite painterly in my style. I set up and light most of my subjects and work from my photographs. The lighting and depth of field from my photographic reference help me to create a mood, which sets my work apart from other realists painting similar subjects.
