Biography:

Ever since I was a young child, my mother and father read to me almost every night. Our bookshelf contained a multitude of books, ranging from my Allsburg favorites, of Jumanji and the The Stranger, to classics like Peter Rabbit, and Make Way for Ducklings. I learned to love all the books that we had, especially the variety of artwork. But when all the books were read, I still yearned for more stories. That is when my parents invented, "story by mouth"; a story told from their own childhood. These stories became the most sought after, by my brother, sister and I. They were treasures, unlocked with a magical key, and the best part was they were all true. These stories and books inspired me to create my own stories through illustration. Although, I must thank the primary source herself- my mother. She has been an art teacher for 25 yrs., and has passed on much of her creative knowledge to me. She influenced me with her sunny beach scenes; to seek out watercolor as my medium. I have struggled with it, but I love the light, colorful effects that it gives my work. I strive to incorporate the feelings that I had as a child towards books, into my own artwork now. Whenever I am lacking inspiration, I remember the stories by mouth and the images of Allsburg books. But, often a different image comes to mind; a photograph taken by my Aunt Charlotte, a misty castle in the hills of Ireland; attached, a handwritten slip of paper inscribed with the words:

"See, there is some magic in the world".