Originally from New England, I moved to Texas as an adult. I still have family in New England and visit there often. I work mostly from photographs I’ve taken. New England, especially Vermont, is very photogenic and has supplied lots of great reference material such as covered bridges and barn scenes. While in Texas I was introduced to acrylic craft painting, which I enjoyed in my spare time. That included mostly decorative painting on wood. After working 25 years in the business world I retired and, with my husband, moved from Texas to Sedona to begin a new life. My participation in the world of fine art began after moving to Sedona.

Most of my art education has come from classes and seminars, some at the Sedona Art Center. Sedona has many wonderful artists, which makes this a great place to be involved in art. Rose Moon and Richard Drayton have been great teachers and very helpful to me. I currently belong to a colored pencil work group, which has been both educational and inspirational.

Colored pencil lends itself well to the detail and realism that appeals to me. I’ve been working in colored pencil for 3 years and still continue working in acrylic. I am now using fluid acrylic techniques which create a look similar to watercolor. I use my art to document some of the places I’ve been. Paintings of the Southwest: landscapes, Southwest architecture, Indian ruins, and Native American people all make wonderful subjects.

I especially enjoy doing portraits of interesting people I’ve observed. This is also a good way to memorialize people that have been important in my life. I first used graphite pencil for portraits. Since then I’ve added the use of sepia pencil and colored pencil as well. It is a challenge to make good use of light, which is particularly important when trying to create an interesting portrait.