As I look back on things that interested me throughout my life, art pops up in different ways.  From winning my first award for coloring in the lines with a crayon in 1st grade (the prize was a baby chick that our elementary school watched hatch in an incubator in the library; since we lived on a Navy base at the time, my parents were not too thrilled), to being a resident artist at the Arts Center@319 in Smithfield, VA, art in some form, has been a part of who I am. 

 

There have been other instances as well: encouraged by my mother and grandmother, there were always arts and crafts around growing up; taking a variety of art classes as electives in college (I still have a box full of dumpy pots I did over a year of pottery); being a graduate assistant for the photography professor at the University of Illinois; trying my hand at hand-painting photographs of children with a friend when both of my daughters were young; and then finally, picking up pastels sitting next to my 8-year old who wanted to learn but was too nervous to go to the workshop by herself.  This workshop, taught by fellow Suffolk artist and friend Barbara Harris, for kids in the neighborhood in her garage, was the beginning of a beautiful experience.

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So, here we are, about 25 years later, and Barbara and I became great friends, painting together and traveling to unbelievable places to create art.  I've left the pastels behind (although I still have them!) and have tried other mediums including acrylics, gouache, and watercolor.  But, I have fallen in love with oils and continue to almost exclusively paint in this versatile medium.
 

To share our love of painting with others, Barbara and I launched the Suffolk Plein Air Society in 2019 and chaired two very successful Suffolk Plein Air Festivals in September, 2021 and 2022.  We continue to be involved with the festival and are looking forward to the 2023 event.

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Now serving as a resident artist at the Arts Center@319 in Smithfield is allowing me an opportunity to teach classes, paint in a very supportive environment with other talented artists, and meet people from all over the world who visit the area.

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I hope you enjoy what you see in these pages and welcome comments and sales, of course!  This wouldn't be possible without the love and support of my family and friends!!