How did you become a designer/artist?

From the time I was a child, I loved drawing and design. At the age of twelve, I was selling paintings and at sixteen won a national award from the American Legion and received the gold medal for my poster design. I was also teaching art classes to students. I did silk screening on cloth and Christmas Cards and easily sold my designs. I also sold art work privately – painted murals in homes in Pasadena and San Marino and other California cities. I studied art at Scripps College under Phil Dike and sculpture under Nishan Tour.

In my early twenty’s, I created a twelve page community sales newsletter in South Pasadena where merchants advertised their wares. This began my advertising business over the next twenty-five years designing supermarket ads for both the Pantry Markets and the Albertsons Market chains in So. California and Nevada.

After that career was over, I designed jewelry and batiks and sold oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings in several galleries including Laguna Beach and Pasadena.

Where are you from originally?

Southern California.

What are you doing now?

I have recently taken several trips to Europe and am now concentrating on landscapes while promoting my Web sites.

What are your plans for the future?

I will continue my new series of European-style landscapes, inspired by impressions when traveling in Europe. I will be taking two more trips to Europe in the next year.

What American artist inspires you most?

I especially love the work of Millard Sheets and many of the PleinAire art masters.

What unlocks your creativity?

My travels to many parts of the world - especially tropical areas have inspired my interest in depicting the natural beauty -including native customs, rainforests and endangered species discovered there. I continue to support tropical rainforest saving projects.