"To Love at all is to be Vulnerable."
Beauty has work to do.
Beauty is a force that works within us: stirring courage and reminding us we’re part of something greater. One of my greatest art mentors, Gerald Griffin, once compared content lacking true beauty or meaning to a diet of “corndogs and donut holes.” You can’t expect someone who lives on that alone to stay healthy.
True beauty nourishes. It inspires, heals, and draws us toward unity with divine purpose. Through it, we feed our souls with the sustenance that helps us face life’s trials and find our place in a greater, more meaningful universe.
Showing love and enduring hard things are among the most worthy causes. I create in the hope that my work might be one of many beautiful things that help you along your journey.
Latest
With Songs of Joy Surround Me
In this painting, I wanted to capture the expansive, uplifting power of joy. The figure’s open arms and outward-facing hands are meant to symbolize receptiveness: she’s open to the light, surrounded by the gentle movement of bright yellow butterflies. They embody transformation and the beauty that surrounds us when we let light in.
Joy is not the absence of pain. The title, "With Songs of Joy Surround Me," comes from the idea that joy, when embraced, becomes a kind of melody that wraps around us, carrying us through the hardest of times. I wanted this piece to speak universally about the strength we find when we actively seek light and joy. Joy is an anchor, a source of resilience, and a gift we can share with others.
Even in moments of uncertainty, we can choose to create light. May this painting remind you of the strength within you, and that joy can be within reach.
Art Changes the Atmosphere
You’ve felt it: artwork can dramatically change the feel of a room. A stuffy bowl of fruit, a Megadeth poster, or an Andy Warhol print each reflects and reinforces the values and lifestyle of the person who lives there.
What we choose to surround ourselves with reveals where our heart lies. Show who you are. Surround yourself and those you love with paintings that uplift and inspire.
FIND YOUR STYLE
I've watched many people, especially artists, chase an elusive “own style” like it was the holy grail of creativity. Maybe you've felt that too: uncertain about your place, your voice, or longing for a community where you truly belong. Here's the secret about style: you don't need to force one. It emerges naturally when you pour your heart into your best work and seek out the beauty of light and truth.
Your efforts, your losses, your hardship, shaped who you are today, and as such, are integral in a style that is uniquely yours. I seek to make my art about sanctifying the challenges you've faced and surrounding you with beauty that inspires you to keep growing. I like to think it is important to surround ourselves with uplifting and reinforcing culture: as Roger Scruton wrote "Beauty Matters because it reminds us of what we are capable at our best."
WE SEEK AFTER THESE THINGS
In my years illustrating for sci-fi and fantasy, I saw how darkness and grit often dominate, as if despair were the only path to depth. One of my old art teachers quipped, that “a skeleton makes any painting interesting”: a clever trick, perhaps, but a shallow one. Creating horror, ugly, and destruction is easy.
True depth lies in crafting something that uplifts, inspires, and creates connections.
About the Artist
I tend to be shy and prefer to stay out of the spotlight, working from behind the scenes - maybe that's why I ended up painting!
Like most people, I am taking life one day at a time, trying to do my best, some days with more grace than other days.
Life has taught me to be grateful for the small moments and the people who make it meaningful. My family is at the center of my life, and taking care of them brings me the deepest sense of purpose.
I live near Nashville, Tennessee with my husband, 4 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a lot of chickens. I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Studio Arts at BYU-Idaho, where I met my husband, Nathaniel. We got married in Nauvoo, Illinois.
I believe hardships can become something sacred: opportunities to grow in ways we never imagined. I create art to be a quiet companion in those moments.
My hope is that my art can be a small reminder that your challenges are not wasted; that they have a purpose, even if it’s not immediately clear.
If you’re looking for art that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit and the quiet hope of faith, I’d be honored to have my art be a part of your journey.
Thanks for being here, it means more than you might know.
❤️ Mandie
INCLUDED WITH EACH PRINT
+ Insight into that painting and a note on the back
+ A chance for an original sketch (to be mailed along with the print)
+ And when available: a matching wallet-sized version so that you can keep it with you, or share it
Life Lesson from a Gallery
When I first stepped out of art school, I joined a co-op gallery; a shared space run by artists who poured their time, money, and passion into pursuing their dreams. It took effort to be accepted, but seeing my work on those walls filled me with pride and a sense of possibility.
I found camaraderie among the other artists, especially an older woman who spent time encouraging me and helping me find my footing. One day, she bought a piece I had painted , a masked girl. She was excited both to support me and because the image spoke to her. Holding it up, she asked, “What does this mean? What inspired you to create this!?”
The truth was, I had painted it simply because I enjoyed fantasy art. There wasn’t a deeper story behind it. I tried to explain, but I could see her enthusiasm shift.
I felt strongly that I had let her down.
That moment stayed with me. I realized how deeply people long for meaning and connection through art. Since then, I’ve made it my mission to create from the heart, and spend time and thought on every piece.
Latest Video
STORMS AND BRUSHSTROKES
This is my husband, Nathaniel (below). I met him during a card game night that my roommates and me put together. We were playing Pit, a loud, fast-paced card game, and I couldn’t understand why I kept winning. Every round, I’d somehow come out ahead, even when I wasn’t trying all that hard.
It wasn’t until later that I realized Nathaniel was sacrificing his own chances of winning in order to quietly orchestrate my wins. Instead of focusing on his own victory, he spent each game figuring out which cards I needed and subtly steering the game in my favor while blocking everyone else. It was equal parts mischievous and clever, and I remember thinking, “This guy is different.” That mix of strategy and selflessness turned out to be a pretty accurate glimpse of who Nathaniel is: someone who’s always thinking several steps ahead but who’s just as focused on lifting others as he is on achieving his own goals.
Now, years later, Nathaniel is an entrepreneur and project manager, and his ability to see both the big picture and the small, meaningful details has been a cornerstone of our life together. Whether he’s building businesses or helping me bring an artistic vision to life, he has a way of making the impossible feel within reach.
Together, we’re working on a new video channel called Storms and Brushstrokes, an endeavor that reflects our shared mission of finding beauty in life, even through its wildest and most unpredictable moments. It’s a celebration of nature and the awe that comes from watching the world unfold in all its grandeur. But it’s also about the personal side of creating, showcasing the individual brushstrokes and the meditations behind each piece of my art.
Nathaniel brings the structure and strategy to balance my creative energy, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner in this journey. Together, we hope Storms and Brushstrokes inspires others to see the beauty in both life’s chaos and its quiet moments.
We’re just getting started, so we’d love your patience and support as this grows. If you’re interested in following along with our journey and getting a behind-the-scenes look at our process, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d subscribe to our YouTube channel. Every follow helps us bring this vision to life, and we can’t wait to share what’s next with you!
Thank you so much for being part of this adventure with us.
