I've always loved art and the creative process! I think having a grandmother who loved art was an influence, but ever since I was little I've enjoyed drawing, coloring, and painting.
also drawn to the creative aspects of the job- decorating the room, putting up bulletin boards, and creating teaching materials! I enjoyed my work teaching and working with special needs children, but after five years I really felt the creative impluses in me calling to immerse myself in art and study the creative processes.
So, I decided to take a bold step and return to school full-time to study art, which I loved! I loved the illustrations in the many books I'd collected, and felt drawn to the process involved with that. I also loved learning everything about art, art history, and art techniques that I could. I attended the Ringling College of Art and Design for four years, and graduated with a Fine Arts degree- a dream come true!
During my last two years at Ringling, I interned with a publishing/design firm as an in-house illustrator, where I was privileged to create art primarily for larger educational textbook companies such as Harcourt and Scott Foresman. I enjoyed my work at the publishing firm and it was great experience. I was hired there full-time after my graduation from Ringling College, and continued to work there for several years as a staff artist before deciding to move back into the teaching profession, as I missed working with children. At present, I'm working on combining my love of teaching and children with art, in ways that are creative and exciting!
In terms of what I enjoy the most, it would have to be drawing and painting cute images, especially animals and children, primarily for books and educational materials for children. My favorite medium is watercolor, though I've worked with a variety of other media and art materials. I love working with clay and watching the ideas unfold tangibly, or adding color to a drawing and watching the images come to life!
I didn't have the opportunity to study art in high school, and I'd heard from many people growing up that art wasn't a "practical" way to make a living, so I decided to become a teacher instead. I really loved working with kids, but I was
Being an artist has been a wonderful experience so far, and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be doing something that I enjoy so much. I hope my images will speak to you, and that you'll take the time to let me know if they do. Thanks so much!
Published work includes art for:
Harcourt
Scott Foresman
MediaLynx Design Group, Inc.
Peppertree Press (illustrated two books for children)
About Me
