When I was a child I wanted to be an artist, a teacher, or a nurse. Ultimately, I became all three in that order. Becoming an artist came early and has always been a big part of my life. Over the years I have had a lot of encouragement and instruction from many talented artists, but no formal art education. I have explored many forms of art, and taught myself a lot of interesting techniques. During my college years I learned to accurately draw portraits by surreptitiously sketching fellow students while enduring the lectures of boring professors. I have taken at least a dozen crafts to insane limits. I once macramed a hammock. I spent fifteen years designing and creating stained glass, including lamps with a thousand pieces. I have strung a zillion beads into complicated necklaces, crocheted, knitted and sewed miles and miles of yarn and thread while designing clothing for myself, and my family and for sale. I have taught diverse subjects from secondary school sciences to beginning drawing and oil painting and finally high school health careers classes. I especially enjoyed mentoring new nurses and student nurses, and was voted Ideal Nurse by two LBCC graduating classes.
Painting with oils has been my enduring passion, and now that I am retired, (for the third time), I almost always have a painting on my easel, a painting waiting to be framed, and a sketch ready to transfer to a canvas. Because of their portability, I often use pastels for plein aire works, sometimes recreating the results in oil, sometimes framing the original. Painting portraits and groups of people in various settings are my first love. My cats, gardens and the Oregon country side offer constant inspiration. I like a lot of color, and I prefer working on canvas or gesso. Fellowship with other artists inspires me and teaches me new and unique techniques. I always travel with my camera.
With my husband Michael, and solo, I have shown at many locations in the Willamette Valley, including Benton County Historical Museum, LaSells Stewart Center on the O.S.U. campus, Albany’s main public library, Albany City Hall, Springhill Country Club, Timberhill Athletic Club and numerous businesses and restaurants in Albany and Corvallis. Over several years we enjoyed arranging and facilitating shows for Albany artists at a variety of locations. I have served on the Albany Arts Commission, scheduling and facilitating the Albany City Hall art shows, and assisted in other commission endeavors.