I have wanted to paint since I was in fifth grade, inspired by a teacher who painted landscapes.  My mother was another teacher who loved to paint, and she introduced me to oil painting at our dining room table, as well as signed me up for my first class in painting. I continued enjoying art classes in high school, but decided to pursue painting as a hobby and librarianship as a career.  

Fast forward to 1990, when my husband and I became empty nesters with some time on our hands.  We lived in Alexandria, VA, where I could attend the Torpedo Factory Art School night school.  Watercolor became my  passion, and that continues to this day.  The media mixes well with my love for the outdoors, which I pursued by living on a sailboat, camping in many places across the country, and volunteering for the National Park Service.

At first I painted landscapes of the places we explored, but I realized that I took more pleasure in observing things up close—finding little pockets of nature and objects that draw my attention.  So that is what I mostly paint these days.  It is fun to explore different watercolor techniques, and I often chose my subjects because it allows me to explore something I have seen in a demo or devised as a way to express what I aim for. 

In 2010, we moved to West Jefferson, NC, from New Hampshire to be closer to our grandkids. I find much inspiration in these mountains.  Socializing with artists in  local art groups such as the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Art Clan, ArtMix, and the High Country Watermedia Society also inspires me.