About the Artist
I am a self-taught artist who has lived on five continents and traveled to over 40 countries. I have merged two of my passions in life, travel and art, by creating travel paintings of my favorite destinations and kids paintings to decorate children’s rooms.
My Life Resume
1971 – 1990: Omaha, Nebraska
Born and raised in a small town outside of Omaha.
1990 – 1992: Florida State University
Chose my college based on the weather and it’s party school rating.
1992 – 1993: Nice, France
Junior year abroad where I discovered my love for traveling and other cultures.
1993 – 1994: Florida State University
Grudgingly returned from Europe to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs.
1994 Summer: Cruise Ship
Worked my butt off (literally lost 15 lbs) cleaning cabins, doing laundry, washing dishes and serving meals along the East Coast and Canada.
1994 – 1995: London, England
After mistyping my graduate school application and accidentally studying European Social Policy (I had no idea what that was), I obtained a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics.
1995 – 1997: Mali, West Africa
After figuring out that Mali is actually a country, I spent two years in the Peace Corps working with Public Health, living in a mud hut, and driving a motorcycle through the desert in this West African country.
1998 – 2000: Washington, DC
Moved to DC to get my first “real” job working in International Development.
2000 – 2001: Australia
Realized I did not like having a “real” job and left to travel through the Pacific and Australia.
2001 – 2003: San Diego, California
Once my Australian visa expired, I unhappily returned to the U.S., and even though I had never been to San Diego and knew no one, I got off the plane hoping to find a home.
2003: Latin America
Spent six months traveling throughout Latin America, studying Spanish and volunteering at an orphanage in Bolivia.
2003 – 2004: San Diego, California
Returned to San Diego, a wonderful city, but it never really became home.
2005: India
Spent three weeks in India traveling, volunteering and studying miniature painting. This trip greatly influenced my art and I was humbled by the amazing skills of Indian artists.
2005 – 2009: Washington, DC
I printed out a map of the U.S. and put an "X" on the map for each friend and family member, saying I would move to whichever city had the most Xs. It was back to DC where I spent the next four years working for international nonprofits, building friendships and bought my first condo.
2009: Washington, DC
While making a quick stop at an outdoor market, I came across a couple who was trying to find homes for five puppies. I literally stopped in my tracks, fell in love with one of the puppies and, completely unprepared, just took him home! And it was there that I met one of the great loves of my life - my dog Oscar.
2009 – present: Annapolis, MD
I then moved outside of DC to Annapolis to have some more space for Oscar and nuture my creative career. I think the DC area may be the home I have been looking for, but I can't help but always have one eye open to the next possible adventure.
