After being surrounded by the riches of culture and art in the NYC area for a number of years, and then being enveloped by the beauty and earthiness of the Canadian Rockies for another handful, I've returned to my Erie Canal based hometown in Western NY. I happily share my home with my husband, two daughters, and our two elderly and neurotic cats (who shudder at the sight of cardboard boxes and even the idea of another move). Both my girls seem to dig art and books, a combo which makes me utterly happy!

I graduated from Fredonia State University with a fine arts degree in painting, and unofficially minored in technical theater, photography, and English literature. I later studied writing and illustrating for children at The School Of Visual Arts in Manhattan. I am a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Rochester Area Children's Writers and Illustrators (RACWI), and The Art FLiEs (Art For Little Eyes) illustrators collective.

I like to work in a variety of media...mostly acrylics, colored pencil, pen and ink, and digitally.

I've done all kinds of jobs that at first glance seem completely random, but have all inspired me in one way or another-- like deciphering and computerizing hand-written census records from the 1700's through the mid-20th century, organizing cemetery records, going door to door as a NY State dog census tabulator, working for a shipping company and learning the proper way to bubblewrap and crate an entire household being sent overseas, editing maps for a world atlas (I spent a week pouring over Russia, China and a gazillion tiny countries that end with "stan"), and voluntarily taking the inventory stocking shift that nobody else wanted at a bookstore simply for the glory of touching all those crisp, new books...just to name a handful. Little snippets of experiences show up in my work in the strangest of places.

My biggest dream is to have my own books dog-eared and well-loved on bookshelves all over the world.

Here I am with my illustration group, the Art FLiEs.
There is always equal parts inspiration and laughter when we get together!

Donna Farrell, Karen Pasquarette, Roxane Chadwick
Me, Lori Mulligan, and Sheila Jarkins
(McNevin Hayes not pictured)

For new work and ideas in progress, check out my blog.

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. (That's me
with my doll and my favorite rocking chair that played music when you rocked.)
My kids are doodle monsters as well. Click below to see their art all displayed all over my fridge.