Bio

Growing up on Long Island, New York, the youngest of four children, I was the artistic one who could draw and was always making things; greeting cards, board games, paper dolls, treasure maps, picture books, paper mache puppets and a lot more. As a teenager, I was the designer of bulletin boards for my mother, who was a first-grade school teacher. 

I graduated from Otterbein college with a degree in secondary education. I was going to be an art teacher but life had other plans. I met my husband, got married and quickly became the mother of two sons. My teaching positions never lasted long before my husband's career took us to live in a different state. We lived in Ohio, North Carolina, New York, Georgia, New Hampshire, Massachusetts until his job took us to live in the south of France. 

France is where I discovered that I truly am an artist. I took a plein air watercolor class and started painting passionately. I studied techniques from American 'how to' books and began selling my paintings to friends and neighbors. Five years later we returned to the States and landed in Virginia where I had the opportunity to take several watercolor workshops from visiting national teachers. I eventually became a signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society. I joined two co-op galleries where I found a community of fellow artists and had success in selling my paintings. I was happy … until I wasn’t.

I felt like something was missing. Where was the ME in these paintings? I started searching for a more authentic way to paint. I felt like I was painting from the outside in but I truly wanted to paint from the inside out. I had no idea how to do that and no one was teaching that in a workshop. I played with mixed media and decided to study the elements and principles of design on my own. With every painting I made, no matter the subject, I also focused on one or two design elements learning how they acted and interacted. I observed my personal preferences and tendencies. Eventually I discovered what I call the "visual language of design" and through that process, I found my authentic visual voice and a mixed media practice.

Then circumstances brought us back to Massachusetts, this time to Plymouth where I have been exploring opportunities once again. I have exhibited in group shows with different organizations and met some amazing people. I have taught workshops, given gallery tours and talks, and inspirational programs to fellow art lovers. My journey has evolved around turning points that brought new experiences, new people, insights and opportunities and for that I am eternally grateful.

If you are curious and would like to learn more about my journey, consider signing up for my quarterly Newsletter.