I am the Founder and President of Renton Art Oasis, and I've been an artist for over 50 years. My path to founding the organization began in early 2025, when I volunteered as gallery curator for a planned nonprofit art studio in downtown Renton — work that connected me with artists, the Arts Commission, Allied Arts of Renton, local businesses, and the City of Renton. When that studio closed unexpectedly, I channeled the momentum and relationships I had built into creating Renton Art Oasis, turning a community loss into a new beginning for the art community in Renton.