Bio

My passion for art was ignited in childhood when six dedicated homemakers—fresh from training at the Toledo Museum of Art—visited my elementary school. Among them was my mother. They introduced me to masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, James McNeill Whistler, and Winslow Homer, sharing the stories, techniques, and historical influences behind their work. From that moment forward, I knew I was meant to be an artist.

As my artistic interests developed, so did my fascination with politics during the defining years of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. I brought these passions together as an editorial cartoonist, with work published in the Findlay Courier, the The Blade, the BGSU News, and the UT Collegian. In 1984, I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Bowling Green State University, combining majors in Life Drawing and Painting with studies in Political Science and History.

Following graduation, I built a successful career in advertising and marketing while raising a family and coaching varsity soccer. Though professional and family life took priority for many years, the desire to paint never left me.

Now in retirement, I have returned fully to my lifelong calling as a working artist. Inspired by family vacations along the beaches of Northern Michigan—where I first captured scenes through photography—I create landscapes that reflect the gratitude, peace, and joy I’ve gathered throughout my life.

I am also color blind, a perspective that profoundly shapes my work. Rather than focusing primarily on hue, I am drawn to value, contrast, composition, and light. This way of seeing has strengthened my attention to structure and emotion, allowing me to express feeling beyond color alone.

Today, I am honored to serve as President of the Toledo Artists’ Club, supporting and promoting fellow artists in our community while continuing to grow in my own practice. My early work was bold and provocative, driven by strong opinions and youthful intensity. In this new chapter, my paintings celebrate fulfillment, reflection, and the beauty of everyday moments—inviting others to share in the joy I find through art.