My artistic adventure began in 1998 while living and working in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I regularly attended the monthly gallery walks and was fascinated with the possibility of creating art myself. After taking several drawing classes through UNM Continuing Education, my plan was to eventually move on to watercolor painting classes, but instead I chose to experiment with pastels and the success that I achieved with my first pastel painting was enough to spur me on. I became a member of the Pastel Society of New Mexico, and for the next thirteen years I was able to network with other artists of note who helped to increase my artistic knowledge. I also had the honor of being accepted into the Small Works division of the Pastel Society National Invitational Show several years in a row, and I enjoyed sales of my work from those shows. In the last five years, my medium of choice has changed from pastel to watercolors, and I’m loving the challenge and all of the surprises that happen in the painting process. In 2013, I returned to my childhood home of Durango, Colorado and soon discovered Friday Painters, an informal group of artists who paint at beautiful locations all over Southwest Colorado. A few years later while living in Mancos, I became a member of the Artisans Gallery where I was able to show and sell my artwork. I am currently living in Farmington, New Mexico, and for the past three years I have painted with a small group of artists at Artifacts Gallery, alternating each week between still life and portrait painting. In December 2022, I was accepted into the membership of Plein Air Painters of the Four Corners. I have a deep love of Southwest Colorado where I grew up and I hope to express that through my paintings.

ljbonds007@gmail.com