I started painting in college and to that point I had never really even picked up a paintbrush.

There were girls in my dorm who were painting little canvases to brighten up their rooms, and I thought, “Hey I can probably do that!” I was not the best at it but enjoyed it so much. At that point, I never thought I could make it something more than a fun pastime, but, as the years went by, I tried new things and a style developed. I still have a great deal to learn, and each piece teaches me something to apply to the next work. That being said, I am completely self-taught which has been a long journey but so rewarding. My hope is that my work brightens everyone’s day and brings a smile to the faces of people who see them. My whimsical style combined with bright colors I feel is my signature, and I look forward to where the road takes me in the future!

My other passion in life is my horses. I have been riding Cutting Horses since I was about seven years old and was fortunate enough to have parents who allowed me to begin competing at ten. I was hooked from the start as so many are, and the rest is history.

There is a specific story in time and a specific horse that inspired the name of my studio. I want to tell the story of “Rusty,” the perfect little girl’s horse. In 1999, I wanted to accomplish the big goal of winning the World Championship in the Jr. Youth division. My Dad was totally on board and wanted me to help me get there, so the search began for the perfect horse. It took a little while to find him, but then one week Dad told me he thought he found the perfect one.

We went to a show in New Roads, LA that next weekend where we planned to meet this horse and try him out. We got there right before dark, and I remember being so excited to meet this horse. I had to help set up the stalls for the horses that we brought with us first, but after we met up with Robert Rust who brought the gelding for me to try. As soon as they told me where he was, I remember running down the aisle to see him.

Rusty was on the very last row in the very corner stall. At this point it was dark outside, and all of the lights were on. I looked through the wooden plank stall. He lifted his head up from eating hay. He was perfect. The perfect little girl’s horse, a dark seal brown with the longest mane and forelock and HUGE tail. I had to go in and pet him right away, and he was the kindest soul.

I won all three youth classes that weekend on him, and we bought him right after that. I went on to win the Reserve World Champion that year and then World Champion the next year. Rusty taught me so much about showing these amazing animals, and he also taught me several big life lessons. He was my best friend. He lived out a happy retirement in knee high grass until he was twenty-eight. He passed away right before I started really pursuing something more than a hobby with my artwork. When thinking of what I wanted to name my studio, this story kept coming to mind.

It was love at first sight for me when I saw Rusty, and that is the feeling and the moment I always want to think about when I am thinking about my artwork and my business. I want to bottle up that pure joy and love felt at that moment and apply that passion to my future goals in this amazing adventure. That is the story behind why the studio is named At First Sight Studio, because of the kindest brown gelding there ever was!