As a young child I was always fascinated with drawing.  I would look at my coloring books and draw pictures from them on my own paper, even in grade school I would take my recess time to draw instead  of playing outside.  I loved drawing animals even back then.

Having been self taught, in 1976 I was given a gift from my sister for an oil painting class from Dorothy Dent focusing on landscapes and scenery.  I have also taken classes from Dana Jester with a focus on wildlife ,  portrait artist Karen Patton from Kansas and Glori Robinson from Arkansas.  I feel my talent is a gift from God and give him the credit.

While painting and teaching at Painters Corner in Republic, Mo, I met Jack Johnston when I took a class he was teaching on sculpting.  At this time he invited me to go to a Professional Masters Sculpting course, in Salt Lake City Utah.  I completed this course in 2001 and received my Master’s in Sculpting certificate becoming a Master Sculptor.  In 2002 and 2003 I went to the New York City Toy Fair to display my sculpting.  While there I meet Richard Simmons and Marie Osmond.

While raising my family in Mt.Vernon ,MO. I have displayed my art work at Mount Vernon’s Apple Butter Making Days since 1978. I have done paintings of peoples farms, homes, animals even their families. My love is the big cats.

In 2006 my husband and I produced an educational DVD for P.A.W.S. (parks and wildlife service’s) along with Jim Fowler at Silver Dollar City.  This gave me access to be up close and personal with the animals.  And in 2007 we started a project to bring a nature and educational and Historical reenactment theme to a theme park in central Illinois.

During this time we helped raise several large cats to include two cougars and a lion cub. Also at this time we worked with Wildlife Encounters an educational program producing live shows featuring Nadia the lion cub, a serval, bear cub, cobra, many other snakes and reptiles, birds, kinkachu, monkeys and many other animals.  Most of my paintings come from firsthand experience. I want you to be able to feel God’s creation.  I have been in the middle of buffalo herds and longhorn cattle.  I want realism in my work, and hope to keep on growing with my work. There is always something to learn or to improve on.

I have been a featured artist at Silver Dollar City in 1993 at the National Craft Festival. I have also sculpted for a Silver Smith for two years. And been in several other art shows.

I like to work from photos, even though I have been around several live animals, I take photos so that I can have something to work from.

I have been published in a few Doll magazines in 2002 and 2003, Also most recently with ShowMe the Ozarks with my paintings in the September 2010 issue. I will also be among the BOMH Artisans featured at SDC for 2010.