Born in Fort Worth with one sister, 3 brothers and an artistic mother, Colleen has been married (47 yrs.) to Eric, a career Air Force man, and has 2 sons & 5 grandchildren ranging from 6 to 17 years old.
Colleen is a TCU cum laude graduate with an education major and secondary certification in art & computer. For 3 yrs. Colleen taught in the Eagle Mountain/Saginaw ISD and worked for Lockheed, retiring as a systems engineer in 2005.
After a 20 yr. break, Colleen started painting again in 2000 when a friend invited her to the Society of Watercolor Association. She became their photographer, did their catalogs worked on their website, organized & hung their shows, and was president in 2004-2005. Colleen is a signature member of SWA and one of only four artists who has earned (2011) a lifetime honorary membership for her many contributions.
A member of the Weatherford Art Association for 11 yrs., Colleen was vice president of workshops & classes, teaches a Thursday class, & was instrumental in compiling the WAA cookbook to raise funds to move into the Firehouse Art Center. Besides being a WAA Artist of the Month in 2011, Colleen won first place in Life Portrait in the Trinity Art Guild in Euless, and won the Purchase Award in the 2011 Kansas National Watercolor Show.
In addition to painting and studying on her own, Colleen has done two workshops with Lauren McCracken, studied 2 yrs. with Soon Warren, a national artist & author, and taken numerous other workshops. Although watercolor is Colleen’s specialty, she also works in other mediums – the combination of acrylic & pastel is a present interest. She is a realistic painter & paints from her own photos. Colleen claims that signing her paintings is the hardest part. Go figure! Her goal in 2012 is to enter more national shows.
Colleen’s creativity is also expressed in woodworking, quilting & marbleizing. She & Eric added on to their Lake Weatherford cabin with Colleen building cabinets, furniture & even laying tile.
In September, Colleen entered her handmade quilt in the Parker County Quilt Show & won honorable mention. Marbleizing paper and fabrics is a fun project she enjoys with her granddaughter. So, if you need someone to help you build a house, create your furniture, make quilts for your beds & paint pictures for your walls —— Colleen is your woman!
