Ever since I was old to enough to hold a pencil, I have loved drawing and art has been a recurring theme in my life. I entered college interested in majoring in Art History. When I took a geology course to fill a science requirement in college I was intrigued by the emphasis on observation and visual thinking. I went on to complete a Ph.D. in geology, spending many hours hiking and observing desert and mountain landscapes in the Rocky Mountain West. In 2004 I moved to Ojai, a small art-oriented community adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest in the Transverse Ranges of southern California. Because of the east-west orientation of the mountains near Ojai, at sunset the area is bathed in magical light for landscape paintings. It wasn’t long before I was teaching art classes for children and attending local art shows. I began studying pastel painting with Darlene Dewing and Bert Collins, showing with the Ventura County Creative Artists, and studying watercolor painting with Sylvia Shapiro.

Color and light fascinate me. The immediacy and rich colors of pastels make them an especially appealing medium. The bonus of repeated colors makes water and reflections favorite subjects. Through the processes of drawing and painting, I observe intently, notice more, and can share the amazing world that I see. I hope when you look at my paintings you will feel the same peaceful joy I feel when I create them.