“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” ― Shannon Alder
My mosaic art and editorial work celebrates Oklahoma’s rich musical heritage and honors the legends that bloomed from the wind-swept, hardscrabble soil of our great state, inviting a second look and fuller understanding of Oklahoma music icons and the lasting legacy they’ve left upon friends and musicians with whom they’ve played, recorded, taught and mentored.
Our lives are a mosaic full of broken pieces and disparate parts that together form something beautiful. I use broken glass, mirror and tile to construct mosaic artwork on the body of violins to reflect the beauty other musicians witnessed in Oklahoma musical icons’ wit and wisdom, utilizing my background in journalism and publishing to record and preserve the musical legacies Oklahoma greats leave behind.
In my art and literary work I seek to honor the musical heritage and legendary music venues in our beautiful state and the contributions of the musical giants who broke ground and lit a candle to guide and inspire future generations, before their memories are lost to the sands of time.
As an Oklahoma Music Legacy Artist & Preservationist, I spotlight Oklahoma music legends and tell their stories from the perspective of those they’ve left their mark on, the people whose playing and hearts they’ve touched, shaped and influenced.
Love truly is the only thing we leave behind.
My husband and I recently moved to Tulsa after serving the people of Southeast Oklahoma as journalists for the McCurtain Gazette for the last 20 years. Truly, there is no place on earth like Oklahoma, and there is no truer or more loving and accepting heart than that we have found in the people of Tulsa County.
For decades I’ve sought to serve my beloved state by bringing truth, light and transparency to Southeast Oklahoma, and to amplify the voices of the overlooked through my art, music and journalism. I am driven by a deep desire to be of service, a deep love of Oklahoma’s musical heritage, and a deep drive to honor the musical legacy of Oklahoma artists.