I have always had art and creation in my heart, although much of my life it was put on the back burner.  Early in my life, I was taught some principles of art by my mother.  She would give me crayons and paper to keep me entertained for hours.  I always loved art in school and thought that one day I would like to be a fashion illustrator.  I attended Ohio University, majoring in fine arts.  I loved painting and throwing pottery.  I got a job at a local amusement park as a portrait artist and learned to draw quick sketch full color portraits.  Soon though, I got very involved in a retail career that lasted for 30 years and sadly pushed my love for art aside.  Upon retiring, I immediately picked up my brushes and pencils and once again I was following my heart.  I started with pencil portraits both human and pet portraits (which I still will do) and then dug out my "vintage" pastel set and began painting with my pastels.  My heart was happy!  I taught myself watercolor and also started to use colored pencils.  I love them all, but my favorite will always be Pastel.  My art style is heavily influenced by nature and the beauty of the world around us.  I strive to capture the essence of my subjects and bring them to life.

Thank you for visiting my gallery. I hope you can feel the joy that I achieve from creating each piece.   Please feel free to contact me if you would like to commission a portrait of a loved one, human or pet.  ​​​​​​​