Growing up in the countryside of Frederick, Maryland, I learned to value the natural landscape and the diligent work ethic of the farming community.  I studied drawing, art history, printmaking, painting, and sculpture at West Virginia University and Lacoste School of Arts in France, graduating with a teaching degree and a Bachelor of Fine Arts emphasis in pottery.  I spent several stints teaching, drawing portraits, and operating a successful functional pottery business until I chose to invest my creative efforts in staying home to raise a family.  Making functional pottery raised my awareness of the marks made by the artist, which later led me to choose pastels as a medium of expression once my children were more independent.  Pastels allow me the most direct translation from the color held in my hand to the surface.  Interested in every subject from urban to rural landscapes, people and animals.  I seek to sharpen my skills on an ongoing basis by seeking educational opportunities and incorporating a regular practice of drawing and painting in sketchbooks that I carry everywhere I go.  As a result of raising a child with a chronic rare life threatening illness, I have a special compassion for the intersection of artistic expression and the medical experiences.

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