I have been an artist all my life since I first picked up a crayon to draw. I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the Arts and was lucky enough to attend the Rhode Island School of Design where I received a BFA in Graphic Design. I worked at various design firms in Boston, Massachusetts, on projects including redesigning school textbooks for Houghton Mifflin and as part of the creative team for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.I was always fascinated with Asia, and, in 1992, moved to Japan for an art teaching position at St. Joseph’s International School in Yokohama. While residing there, I had the opportunity to work with a sumi-é master (brush stroke painting) and became immersed in the culture and beauty of Japan. The time I spent in Asia has had a great influence on my life and work as an artist.

Upon returning home I moved to Jackson, New Hampshire, and started my own graphic design business. I also taught art in the public school system. After having my own children, I wwweloped Jackson Art Exploration as a way to expose young children to art. Since then, it has expanded into Jackson Art Studio & Gallery, a working studio with classes taught by multiple instructors for all ages and abilities. There is also has an attached art gallery presenting both my work and that of other local artists.

For the last decade, I have been continuously drawn to the processes of watercolor monotype and oil painting. Printmaking gives me the flexibility to work in a very loose way with floating washes, or, in a thicker way, layering paint in an impasto technique. When I am working on a print, I go into a meditative state where the journey becomes more important than the outcome. Each print has its own story where color and form take shape in my mind and are transferred to the glass plate. The process of pulling the print is always exciting and different than I expect, as it is a mirror image of what was created on the plate. For my oil paintings, I try to keep a loose style invoking the feeling of the landscape rather than creating a replica. I like painting outdoors “en plein air” because it allows me to enjoy and appreciate my environment while doing something I love.

The beauty and magnificence of the White Mountains that surround me are the inspiration for my work. I hope you can find a piece of your own life within some of these pieces of art.