A licensed artist, Finkbeiner(Also known as Desiree Petersen) has worked on various products licensed across the country. Her art has appeared on Skateboards, T-Shirts, Greeting Cards, Prints, Stickers, Patches, Cross Stitch patterns, Postcards, etc and appears in hundreds of private collections world-wide. ARTIST STATEMENT - The love of art consumed me at an early age when I discovered it as a medium that intrinsically set me apart from the crowd and provided a way to gain the admiration of others. Art is a sort of social mediator that defines who I am through creative process and completed works. It is the visual interpretive way my psyche communicates ineffable ideas that language can not convey. I don’t believe in erasing! Rather than trying to change my artistic imperfections I prefer to integrate them into the art which often leads me to greater discovery than backing up and starting over. I do not allow myself to correct wayward lines but rather assimilate them into a more peculiar piece of art thus the altered or disguised faux pas often become the most quirky and loveable characteristics. A parallel to art and life is my firm belief that I can not erase my mistakes but I learn from them and become stronger through harmonious reconciliation. It is my little imperfections that build character on my way to perfection; a refiner’s fire of sorts. My procedures while seeming unorthodox still possess disciplines of their own. More often than not I prefer to go into the creative process without a plan. Although I am fully capable of conforming to conventional methods, unearthing the hidden art on a blank canvass for the sake of discovery is more exciting than forcing myself to follow a strict design plan or assignment. I am thrilled when the finished product comes into view and find myself most satisfied with works that turn out completely different than what I had supposed prior to completion. If art turns out exactly how I had premeditated then I remain only the proud artist, but if the art evolves into a new incarnation of the imagined idea I then quickly become the admiring spectator! Without spontaneous creation where is discovery and adventure? I am mindful that my personal preferences are bias and don’t conform to the likes of everyone else. It is best stated, “One man’s junk in another man’s treasure”, and my art is no exception. I believe the only way an artist can discover true self-crafted style is to let go of discipline for a moment and let inspiration take over, put the pen on the paper and let go of control, let the spirit of creativity move the inner-self to cherish shrewd promptings and most importantly overcome the pessimistic criticism of others. I have embraced this philosophy of self-worth in spite of failure or imperfection and hope others can sense my genuine desire to be who I am without fear. The artist currently resides in beautiful North West Arkansas. THE SKATER APRIL SHOWERS... RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY $10.00 CACTUS FRUIT $12.00