About the Artist

My art making activities go back to early childhood and my first formal art instruction must be credited to private lessons with Mrs. Julia Roecker from Saginaw, MI.  She taught me to truly ‘SEE’ and began my first discoveries of the many layers of color visible within the natural world.    I did not have opportunities to truly expand my art education until my university years at Central Michigan University where I majored in both Art and Spanish.  My natural gift to instruct lead me to a B.S . in Education degree (and then Masters in Art Education  at the University of Kentucky).    I spent 34 years happily engaged in the field of education; teaching in Nicaragua, Mi, FL, and finally in KY.  I instructed students in grades 6-12 during the majority of those years and also instructed students at Asbury University (In Wilmore, KY)  for 20 years as a part time faculty member.  I was teaching the Asbury students their art methodology coursework and worked with many of those same students during both their practicum and student teaching semesters.   I am proud of those who have become both art teachers and art professionals while under my instruction.    My final years included the joy in instructing students in the School for Creative Arts (SCAPA) which was a gifted program that drew high school students from an audition cycle from 5 high schools in the Lexington, KY school system.     I also pursued becoming a nationally board certified art teacher within the young adulthood ages and also passed my recertification as a nationally board certified art teacher.  I was voted as the high school art teacher of the year twice within the Kentucky Art Education Association during my years in Kentucky.

Having retired from the classroom my ‘free time’ has enabled me to finally pursue my own art making goals as well as provided me the time to become a more  experienced world traveler.  I have thoroughly enjoyed yearly trips to Europe and elsewhere (Central America/ Morocco) and have been re-igniting my passion for the vast creativity one sees within  cultural groups and countries    My museum visiting experiences continue to give me inspiration for my own art making.    My choice of artistic medium has developed to be both watercolor and acrylic painting.  I do attend various workshops with other artists and within other medium as I  value learning and gathering ideas from other professional artists.  I have decided to expand my exposure in the art world ad have now begun to enter art competitions/ art shows as well as have gallery exposure and an art website.    I have gifted my art paintings in charity causes as well.    I have been taking private commissions and have been working on developing series of paintings as I explore various ideas.

MEMBERSHIP:  Michigan Watercolor Society