"For me, it's all about beauty and creating something that helps us rise above our day to day experiences. My ongoing passion and pursuit is finding that quality in what I see and then translating it in my paintings. Colorado landscapes, with views from the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, hiking high in Rocky Mountain National Park and rolling grassy terrain of local prairies inspire me as I paint on location and in my studio. Seascapes viewed during a month-long stay each September in Cannon Beach, Oregon are also the basis for many of my paintings.

"I have recently found a new fascination: observing and painting people enjoying Old Town Fort Collins and its many charms."

Ayleen has been invited to present her work in several group shows of area landscape artists and in juried local, state and national exhibitions. She was awarded the "People's Choice Award" in the Northern Colorado Artists Association "Celebration of Color" show. Her pastel paintings are in private and corporate collections in the United States, Canada, and Bolivia. Prior to becoming a full-time artist, Ayleen's professional life spanned several careers as a college music professor, adult education administrator and geriatric case manager. Her studies in painting include a lifetime of viewing good art and carrying a sketchbook during travels throughout the U.S.

Most recently she studied with Clive R. Tyler and Patti André.