Artist Bio
I was born in a Florida orange grove. In my childhood, I explored pastures, pine woods, hammocks, and the lakeshore and roamed through rows of citrus trees. Growing up with nature all around me impacted my work as an artist and writer and defined my values for land conservation, preservation of nature, and historic places. My artistic journey has been enriched by a solid foundation in pencil drawing, which I studied during my undergraduate years at Kansas State University, where I earned my BFA. I further honed my skills in colored drawings and watercolors through a master of fine art program at the University of Florida, where I also delved into narrative series. I have continued to expand my knowledge through workshops and a study abroad art history program. For the past forty years, I have been both a part-time art teacher and a dedicated practicing artist. I have always worked on small-scale pieces on paper. However, with new products on the market, I have experimented with aqua and gesso boards and evolved my materials into mixed media. However, the choice of media I use depends on the idea and what material will best express the piece's meaning. I am also a published author, working through my ideas visually and verbally, as well as my images and words. This multidisciplinary art and writing contribute to building each other and help to balance me.