Behind the Easel with Braden

Originally from Mobile, AL, my love for art took root in high school and never let go. I went on to earn a B.A. in Art History from Southern Methodist University and an M.Ed. with a concentration in Art from The University of South Alabama.

Today I live in the lowcountry of South Carolina, where inspiration is never far away — the way light filters through the trees, the marsh shifting from brilliant greens in summer to deep oranges in fall, the tides reshaping the shoreline, and the coastal birds that call this place home.

I paint in oils and often reach for a palette knife over a brush. There's something freeing about it. As the oldest of five children and a mother of five myself, I'll admit I have a tendency toward control — and the palette knife humbles me every time. I'll mix two or three colors, scoop them up, and expect one thing, only to get something surprisingly, beautifully different. I know I can never come close to replicating God's colors, but it is so much fun to try.

I'm married to Rob, an Anglican priest. In 2010, we moved to Pawleys Island, SC, where Rob was called to serve All Saints Church as rector — and that move drew me back to painting. I haven't looked back since. I love everything about this work: opening a fresh tube of paint, mixing colors, composing a canvas, trying something new. A few years ago I began writing words into my impressionist landscapes and coastal paintings, and those words have grounded me in ways I didn't expect. They help me share my passion not only for painting, but for God — the ultimate creator.