I grew up in an art-filled home.

My father owned a New York City gallery in the 1960’s representing contemporary French artists and my family tree is leafed with generations of accomplished artists.

Color and imagination was abundant in my surroundings. But even with all these rich artistic influences, I did not discover my inner artist until my early 40’s while visiting my Aunt Mary. An exceptionally talented oil painter, she ordered me back to Cleveland to start lessons.

My professional career was varied: teacher, management consultant, free-lance journalist, nonprofit administrator, and finally settling in as a fine artist.

Each new career built on and complimented the preceding one, transferring skill sets with each fresh adventure: Teaching children to adult education; interviewing and writing reports to interviewing and writing articles; writing articles to writing grants; creating pictures with words to creating images with paint.

I began painting under the late Dianne Boldman, an accomplished watercolor artist and teacher, where I worked exclusively in watercolors for 7 years.

In 2010 I shifted to acrylic on canvas under the direction of artist and author JoAnn DePolo and was completely captivated by the intense colors achieved with acrylic paint.

In 2012 I began studying under nationally acclaimed portrait and realism artist and master teacher Bill Kufahl, where I work in oil, charcoal and pastels.

I launched my art and teaching studio in January, 2011.