Growing up foxhunting in western Pennsylvania's rolling hills made an enormous impression on me that is expressed both in my landscapes and my paintings of horses. I can still feel the passion of the hunt and the beauty of the land and the attitudes of the horses. I try to put that passion into my work using bold colors and broad, dynamic brush strokes.



I began painting and drawing at a very early age. My mother was, and still is at age 84, an artist. She always encouraged me to pursue my passion in art. Whenever there was a cloudy day or an ''I'm bored'' moment the art supplies would come out and I'd be off on some artistic adventure. With that kind of freedom and encouragement, I gained a confidence that allows me today to break the rules. I use color freely and passionately. I love to play with light and shadow using all the ''wrong'' colors. When I paint my horses, I paint them with attitude not just a pretty pose. I paint them as I remember them when they were grumpy or sleepy or bossy or hungry. Real horses with real attitudes. People who have horses recognize and appreciate these charming personable attitudes and they respond. They also respond to my landscapes feeling that surely they have seen that same spot in that same lighting. I moved to Colorado 35 years ago and have incorporated the beauty and magnificence of my surroundings here into my paintings. Whether it be the subtle colors of pasture grasses in the fall or the brilliance of the aspens, my paintings always express joy through passionate color choices and fearless brush strokes. My paintings evoke memories that enable the viewers to embrace my work.



I taught art at Wilmot Elementary School in Evergreen, Colorado for several years before opening a business painting murals and graphics in homes and offices, as well as selling floor cloths and painted furniture. I've run the gamut in the art world and can say unequivocally that painting oil on canvas is the most exciting and liberating and exhilarating experience of all.



I paint with passion and joy and hope that is exactly what I deliver to anyone seeing my work.



Education

I attended Smith College and studied under Leonard Baskin. I also attended the University of Denver where I received a BFA in Art Education. It may sound naïve and unprofessional but it cannot go without being said that my mother was one of my greatest teachers!