I guess I would be considered a self-taught artist.  I attended a couple community college art classes and a few private art lessons, but spent most of my time reading and learning from numerous art instructional books or by just hitting the canvas.

Growing up in a family of 8 in a 3 bedroom home next door to our grandparents farm in upstate NY, it was pretty hard to find my own space and myself.  My art gave me that much needed space and my identity.  I don't remember a time when I wasn't drawing something or being encourage by my mother to draw.  Sadly, we lost our mother 10 years ago while battling colon cancer, and this website in dedicated to her and her dreams for me to continue my art.

Our grandparents farm had all the usual critters; cows, pigs, horses, geese, cats, dogs, and the not so usual, squirrels and raccoons, and yes chickens.  My grandmother wouldn't allow me in the henhouse, ever, perhaps that is where my passion for collecting chickens got started.

I was married in 1978 and my husband and I have so far moved 14 times.   I always worked outside the home until after having two back surgeries which left me unable to work.  Finding  I had a lot of time on my hands and watching way too much HGTV, I decided to take up my art once again. 

My family and friends became the first recepients of my paintings. They then encouraged me to  make my work available to the public.   They felt others would also want to capture their beloved family members and pets on canvas.