About

I was always a curious child and have grown up to be a curious adult.  My childhood was pretty idyllic with freedom to roam the neighborhood, fields, forests, streams, what have you. I always had an interest in nature and the play of light through the leaves, the sunrises and sunsets, the edge of light on a friend’s face. I was never pushed into art but always had plenty of art materials available.

Born in England but raised in the Midwest, I had the advantage of travel at an early age.  Thanks to my parents, I was able to visit relatives overseas which opened my eyes to some of the magnificent buildings and museums than most children my age weren’t exposed to.  I realized that there was “another world” out there early on.

My American grandparents were salt of the earth people who instilled a love of the small things in life.  A bucket of tomatoes, the early sunrise over the fields, good story-telling, country living.  This experience is largely responsible for my desire to live in the country….and here I am.

I wasn’t a particularly precocious child but I was a good student and avid reader.  I was fortunate to attend a school system that emphasized the arts.  My high school even had an in-school museum.  I thought that every student walked past famous painters on the way to class and didn’t learn differently until much later.  Enlightened art teachers, painting sets for the drama department, and even selling my first painting in high school all contributed to the trajectory of my career. I thought that was a pretty good deal.

However, my path through the arts hasn’t been a straight line.  A graduate of Earlham College, I attended graduate studies at Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan), IU-SE in New Albany, IN, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, and various workshops along the way.  I taught school in Appalachia and worked for a Fortune top ten company.  Every experience added to my art in some way.

Finally, after ten years fighting the snow and cold in Michigan, my husband and I left for the more temperate climate of the Ohio River Valley.  We live in a 135 year old homestead, raised two remarkable sons here, and my studio is the old summer kitchen.  My commute is just 30 feet from the back door.

Oh, and I also spent seventeen years working as gallery director and then executive director of a regional performing and multidiscipline arts center.

I was fortunate enough to spend a month biking through France, mostly Provence.  I still mine my notebooks, sketches and photos for subject matter.  This spurred a biking trip along the Ohio River which was featured in a national newspaper chain (Knight-Ridder).  Check out my page, From the Back of a Bike for paintings and how to bike and paint.  Love the portable studio with wheels!

Throughout all these experiences, I never stopped painting and creating.  Now I devote all my time to painting, gardening and traveling.  I have a LOT to say!  I’m busier than I ever was!

It is my very great pleasure to present to you my current work with a nod to some selected archives.  Please take some time to view my paintings.  I welcome feedback or any questions.