I'm an independent artist and writer originally from California, but currently located in Montana. I have been a creative individual for literally as long as I can remember and have always relied on my creativity as a means of self-expression, as well as communication with others.

I'm lucky enough to be able to make a living as a freelance writer, which I absolutely love. My bread and butter is in writing everything from advertising copy, to informative articles, to web content, to resumes for my many clients. I love everything about what I do - the people I meet, the variety of the subjects I get to tackle, and the things I've learned that I doubt I would have picked up any other way.

However, I don't just write for a living. I also enjoy writing my own personal material for its own sake. As far as that goes, I am a fiction and poetry writer who specializes in fantasy, gothic, allegorical, and fairy tale oriented work. I am also in the habit of utilizing my artistic skill to illustrate my own work when and where desired or appropriate.

My dream is to one day be a best-selling novelist and successful fantasy artist, but I'm thrilled with the level of success I've already achieved so far as well. I publish and market a lot of my own work, but my creative writing, poetry, and visual artwork has also been published by way of magazines, strategy games, CD layouts, and various types of sites all over the web.

My passion is ...

Anything creative, especially either art or writing.

I know too much about ...

It's probably a toss-up between the writing process and the artistic process. A lifetime of obsession will do that to you.

My parents always told me ...

My parents raised me to be cultured, polite, respectful, and proud of who I am, as well as of my abilities. I like to think I do them proud.

My childhood ambition ...

I think I've pretty much always wanted to be a skilled and respected artist and writer. However, I do also recall badly wanting to be Rita Hayworth at one point.

My favorite memory ...

My favorite memory is of selling my first piece of artwork. It meant so much to me that someone would pay their hard-earned cash for something I'd made.

Why I write ...

I write for many reasons - a living, self-expression, and service to others, to name just a few. Writing is everything to me.

My first job ...

Nothing mind-blowing, impressive, or even remotely related to writing - working as the clean-up girl at a pet-washing estabishment.

My best moment ...

When I finally got the opportunity to work full-time as a freelance writer. It's everything I hoped it would be and more.

My inspiration ...

I look for and find inspiration everywhere... my dreams, my everyday experiences, movies, books, art, conversations with friends. It's all about keeping your eyes open and recognizing inspiration when it does show up.

Arts & Humanities > Artists & Artwork Van Gogh: Artistic brillance vs. insanity

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You don't have to be an artist, an art dealer, or an art history teacher to be more than a little familiar with the name Vincent Van Gogh. He's a man who is as well known for his recurrent battles with poverty and mental illness as he is for his dynamic use of movement and color in so many of his masterpieces. We are just as familiar with the story of Van Gogh cutting off his ear with a razor after a falling out with his good friend and fellow artist Paul Gaugin as we are with the swirling, hypnotic vision of "Starry Night". We've heard the tragic story of his suicide just as often as we've...

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