My artistic career began when I was five years old. I loved to draw, paint and work with clay, and after creating a small collection of artwork in various media, I decided to exhibit my work in an art show in the backyard of my family’s home in New Jersey. My dad worked with me to make a sign announcing the show. I hung my works of art on the backyard fence and the two of us placed the sign on our mailbox in front of our home. My joy, however, quickly turned to tears as the skies opened and a sudden summer rain storm brought a downpour that ruined my precious works. My Pop saved the day, by buying the entire collection for two dollars. He got a budding artist’s first collection, while I gained a sense that my art was truly special and valuable.

I continued to develop as an artist, working in different media and steadily becoming more proficient. After earning a BFA - emphasis in illustration from Kansas University, I ventured into the world of commercial art. Now, after more than 20 years as a graphic designer, I have worked for a major university doing medical illustrations, several consumer products companies creating catalogs, print pieces, trade show booths, and packaging and large companies who are in the business of selling their services to their clients.

I’ve been told by more than a few people that – even for an artist – I’m a little different. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always had a love of expression through art. I just don’t see boundaries between mediums. To me, they’re all colors on a spectrum, or maybe you could say each form of media is a different tool I can use to express myself or to help clients express themselves. I’m not really big on limiting myself when it comes to reaching for goals. I am though, really big on getting the right medium, the one that works best to accomplish my goals or those of my clients. I think that’s fun and a challenge. Highly experienced and extremely versatile artist, I can walk into any setting that needs creative, assess the communications, marketing or advertising needs of any situation, and produce high-quality, effective and “on-target” materials.

I also like working with extremely creative people, such as authors of children’s books. At the same time, I love working with corporate clients, people who need print publications, corporate communications pieces or even patent illustrations. It’s all about flexing my creative muscles and stretching. I have two sides: the creative who knows how to convey a corporate client’s message in a concise, engaging and effective way, and the fun, “just a little crazy and goofy” artist who just might create a giraffeopoceros if she thinks it’s the right, fun and engaging character for your book needs. Giraffeopeceros … I like that word …

So that is my story. And while my path has taken many twists and turns throughout my artistic life, I still look back to where that path began, at a backyard art show in New Jersey, where a dad and his little girl turned a rain-out into a life.

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