| Linza |
I was born in Niagara Falls New York to a large and creative Italian-American and French-Canadian
family. My Grandfather was a self taught oil painter in the 1960s; the men in my family are photographers.
The women are also creative with paint, crochet, quilting and embroidery.
I have been painting and drawing since second grade, when we moved to Arizona. I received a couple of
school awards and was involved in a student show at the Colorado Institute of Art. I studied Design there
after I attended Mesa Community College, under the tutelage of Darlene Swaim and Jim Garrison.
I began doing expressionistic architectural portraits in oil of local buildings in the Phoenix area and
metropolitan Denver. I have always hiked and camped, but began traveling extensively when I began rock
climbing with my boyfriend in 1994. Having seen much of the North American West and recently New
Zealand, I am intrigued by the geological formations and by reproducing them in two dimensions.
I am equally at home rendering fine detail in still life as I am in exploring paint textures and colors with
abstract paintings. In the last two years, I’ve begun the reverse technique of painting on clear acrylic,
using mineral hues, and metallic layers. Handling different kinds of tools and materials is always
inspiring. The metal work is done by a local artisan for me in order to display the acrylic pieces. The wood
is Wenge, a fast growing African hardwood that is dark all the way through.
family. My Grandfather was a self taught oil painter in the 1960s; the men in my family are photographers.
The women are also creative with paint, crochet, quilting and embroidery.
I have been painting and drawing since second grade, when we moved to Arizona. I received a couple of
school awards and was involved in a student show at the Colorado Institute of Art. I studied Design there
after I attended Mesa Community College, under the tutelage of Darlene Swaim and Jim Garrison.
I began doing expressionistic architectural portraits in oil of local buildings in the Phoenix area and
metropolitan Denver. I have always hiked and camped, but began traveling extensively when I began rock
climbing with my boyfriend in 1994. Having seen much of the North American West and recently New
Zealand, I am intrigued by the geological formations and by reproducing them in two dimensions.
I am equally at home rendering fine detail in still life as I am in exploring paint textures and colors with
abstract paintings. In the last two years, I’ve begun the reverse technique of painting on clear acrylic,
using mineral hues, and metallic layers. Handling different kinds of tools and materials is always
inspiring. The metal work is done by a local artisan for me in order to display the acrylic pieces. The wood
is Wenge, a fast growing African hardwood that is dark all the way through.
