Born and raised in the Midwest, I grew up with an abiding interest in nature and traditional methods of making things like woodworking and quilting.  The idea of mend, re-use and re-do continues to inform my art today.

I came to California at 18 and started taking some classes at a Community College.  Working part time to put myself through school, it took ten years, but I graduated from Cal Stat Long Beach, Cum Laude, with a BFA in Drawing and Painting in 1988.  I became active in the local art scene like the "First Tuesday" art group meetings at Portfolio, President of the Art Group of the Long Beach Museum, and in doing public art projects.

I have maintained a studio in Long Beach since then, and taught for K-6 Schools, Museums and Artist in Residence Programs.  I proposed, designed  & implemented the AIR KoRP Program for the Gang Prevention Department of the City of Long Beach in 1990 and 1991.  In 2013, I had an exhibition at the Long Beach Main Library entitled "Art + Books + Creativity = Community" with over 30 artpieces on view having to do with books/poems/reading.  We also did a "Creativity Quilt with children at the Library that was on display for over two months.  In 2015, I had another show of artist-made books at the El Dorado Branch Library in Long Beach and a program for the public to make drawings which were then made into a Community Quilt that had over 100 drawings and hung in the Library until the end of the year. 

I now teach privately in the studio, in addition to doing public programs (especially in libraries) and my own studio work, which includes being part of the Mid-City Studio Tour every other year.