Bio

I live in rural northern Indiana. Watercolor painting has been a passion of mine for most of my life. I infused that passion into my professional life as an elementary art educator in my community for 35 years. I instilled an appreciation for the arts and the different cultures from around the world while teaching three generations of students. Throughout my career, I was the recipient of several awards, the closest to my heart being the Margaret Ann Keegan Excellence in Education Award in 1999 in recognition for my program development for creating a visual arts high ability program and a student run art gallery within the school. I was also the 2005 recipient of the Lily Endowment Creative Teacher Fellowship that allowed me to travel to Paris, France. This experience not only allowed for professional growth, but also rejuvenated my passion for my own work.

Now that I am retired, the hobby that always took a backseat to my family and career, has now allowed me to become the artist rather than the teacher. After experiencing Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny in 2005, I created extensive flower gardens around my home. Those gardens have now become one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I am also inspired by rural Indiana life. I capture the essence of this history by painting old barns, farmsteads, and Victorian houses. I believe that old barns and houses are becoming a thing of the past and it is a joy to capture their character on paper.

Famous Impressionist artist, Claude Monet, made the statement, "Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply only necessary to LOVE." This is how I feel about my art and flower gardens. It is a passion that I have and love to share.