I grew up in St. Joseph, MI, where I cultivated early interests in art, exploring a variety of mediums. I received my Bachelors degree in Art Education (painting and drawing) and my Masters degree in Counseling from Western Michigan University. My career included teaching secondary art for two years, eighteen years of administrative leadership at Kendall College of Art and Design and nineteen years of counseling at Grand Haven High School. Now retired, I am currently Artist-in-Residence at the Holland Area Arts Council, where I can often be found painting in the Armstrong Gallery. I am mostly a landscape painter finding inspiration in the beautiful Michigan landscape. Trips to England, Scotland and the western United States have provided new imagery for numerous paintings. I enjoy using a bright, but natural color palate, dynamic lighting effects and visual elements to create what I hope are good, well balanced and compelling compositions. I have a fascination with clouds and often cannot resist the urge to include them in a painting. I will alter a painting adding or subtracting things for the sake of design. After all, the most important thing is the end result! I enter a few shows each year, mostly local and regional competitions and have received several awards for my work. I recently had a one man show at the Holland Area Arts Council. My goal right now is to continue to grow in my art and challenge myself with each new piece I attempt.