While earning my BA in art history at Barnard, I minored in studio art, following the traditional route: life drawing, sculpture, oil painting, watercolor always working from the human body, a still life or plein air. In the process, I found the use of color the most fascinating. A shadow that first appears black is actually filled with color. Manet said “don’t torment the colors” meaning don’t over mix them. With that in mind, when using oil paint I pick up a few colors at a time on my brush for a single stroke.