An artist since I was a small child, I’m not sure which skill I learned first, drawing or walking! I drew on every scrap of paper available, and when I used it up, I would draw on other surfaces, which often got me into trouble. The most “notorious” of these was the crayon mural I created at age 3, which spanned the length of wall above the couch in my parents’ new home. Undaunted by the resulting spanking, I went on to paint murals in all of the bedrooms as a teenager, and now often receive commissions to paint murals in nurseries, living rooms and powder rooms. My greatest mural accomplishment to date is the three-wall underwater panorama in the tide pool exhibit at the Butterfly Pavilion.

I grew up in Northglenn, attending Adams 12 schools. Unfortunately, art was not offered at the elementary level at that time, but my teachers did the best they could to see that my artistic hunger was satisfied. Determined to make sure young children would receive the creative outlet in school that I’d desperately needed, I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and K-12 art teacher certificate at Metropolitan State College of Denver, and have been teaching elementary art in Adams 12 since 1992.  In addition to my regular teaching duties, I have taken on the cause of advancing art in education in my role as Adams 12 Visual Art Curriculum Coordinator. In 2005, I was awarded the honor of Colorado Elementary Art Educator of the Year, and in 2006 was named Outstanding Elementary Art Educator -Pacific Region by the National Art Education Association.

My artistic interests and forays include pencil and charcoal drawing, pastel, acrylic painting, batik, simple printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, gourd art, warm glass, and watercolor (the only medium in which I’m completely self-taught). My favorite subjects are people, animals and nature; I love to capture the personality of a friend or favorite animal in a portrait, the deep brilliance of a sunset in a landscape or the natural flowing lines of a flower or leaf.  My “secret ambition” is to illustrate children’s books!

I am deeply affected and influenced by the courage, strength and brilliance of the women artists who have made their mark on history: Maria Sybilla Merian, Artemisia Gentileschi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Carr, Frida Kahlo, and contemporaries Sue Coleman, Laurel Burch, and Sara Steele are among my favorites.

I have shown work at The Adams County Fair (second and third place), The Better Framer Art Gallery (solo exhibit), Adams 12 Five Star Schools Staff Exhibits, the Westminster Arts Group, the Loveland Regional Art Show, The National Zookeeper’s Conference, The Fairplay Art Festival, the All About Art Festival, and the Butterfly Pavilion.

I have illustrated numerous articles, as well as the coloring book, Tarantula Tracks Rosie’s Wild Adventure, and the glossary and teacher help page in the children’s book, Morpha, a Rainforest Story. I have created several graphics for educational aides at the Butterfly Pavilion, including for the upcoming exhibit "Tropical Discovery" and enjoy ongoing artistic projects with the organization.

 
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