Tonni is inspired by the beauty of plants, trees, and flowers; she primarily paints scenes that are reminiscent of nature. 

​

Tonni became interested in art as a young teenager when she was introduced to painting in a middle school art class. A passion for art and for painting ensued. She studied art, as an elective, throughout high school and college but worked as a kindergarten teacher, college instructor and Children’s Pastor.

​

She painted sparingly during the busy years of raising a family as there was little time for painting while teaching school and raising three daughters.

​

In 2006, fellow artist and sister-in-law, Debbie Shirley, introduced Tonni to Julie Dupre’ Buckner. Julie is a portrait artist and book illustrator who taught abstract painting classes to novices. Tonni began to thrive as an artist under Julie’s instruction of abstract painting. She enjoys the freedom that abstract art affords and has been painting in the abstract since 2006.

​

Tonni belongs to a shared studio space in Baton Rouge. The artists at Studio 9170 support, teach and learn from one another. She can be found at the Studio most days working on large canvases using acrylic paint, soft pastels and other interesting items, including ferns, newspaper and perhaps even a candy wrapper.

​

She is available by appointment.