Artist's Statement

It all began with my first box of crayons…. I fell in love with the universal language of art-making. Now I explore collage and mixed media with an eye on the vintage past.

Originally from Wichita, I attended Fort Hays State briefly then attended a local short-lived commercial art school, landed a job at a screen printing company in graphic design where I learned “old school” ways from my old school bosses. My next adventure was into drafting (again “old school”!) in the oil and civil engineering fields, while taking evening classes at WSU and downtown studio art classes from John Oehm.

I met and married a western Kansas farmer and moved to Johnson, Kansas, where I attended art workshops and an ongoing art class instructed by the late Yvonne Lewis of Syracuse, Kansas. through Garden City Community College. The Main ARTery Gallery in Ulysses, Kansas, became my “second home” for nearly 20 years as I worked and showed my art there.

We moved to Newton last year to be closer to family. I am exploring opportunities to get involved in, (including the Hutchinson Art Center and Kansas Art Guild) and am very happy to be a part of the Carriage Factory Art Gallery.