“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you”
—Maya Angelou

My story was untold until one day in 1994 without warning, without apparent reason, my inner Buddha commanded me to paint. The voice simply said, “paint” over and over. The more I ignored the voice, the louder it got, never silencing. I argued back “ I have never painted in my life, I am a Doctor of Audiology not an artist, I don’t want to and you can’t make me.” The voice grew stronger, more persistent. Feeling on the brink of crazy, I went to my local art store. Without thought, without knowing how, I put paint on canvas. I surrendered.

Fuchsia Surrender © 2016, acrylic on canvas, 22 x 28” 

Photo: Peter Scheer

The voice silenced and I have been painting with abandon ever since. I saw my story on my canvas slowly unfold. It was a story I did not know. Painting became a sacred space for my light and shadow to emerge.

What would the world look like if we all had a voice…if we did not have to bear the agony of an untold story?

Painting is my visual voice.

My greatest wish, as an artist is that in sharing my story on my canvas, that you too hear your story in the universality of my paintings.

Click here to listen to the whole story

Universal Quickening © 2015, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12“
Photo: Peter Scheer