I believe artists play an enormous role in driving home the message    about beauty around us.  My goal is to educate the public to the greater value of wildlife and to encourage them to support those organizations that endeavor to protect all species and environment.  I paint because I want to share my enthusiasm of nature and I've learned that most people will stop and take a longer look if the artist provides some interesting facts about the subject.  I hope I can do some good by educating others about the greatest asset (wildlife) they have around them and to look and listen a little differently.

I have always been fascinated by the refined specialized qualities of all living creatures around us.  As a child I proudly brought my favorite book to school for sharing. It  was Wild Animals of the World by William Bridges and illustrated by Mary Baker.  That 1954 edition is still in my possession along with my unwavering enthusiasm for wildlife. 

While Mary Baker was my first inspiration of wildlife illustrators, I am indebted to the Beartooth School in Montana which provided some of the finest wildlife artists workshops and wildlife artist camaraderie.  My San Diego mentors are wildlife artist Gamini Ratnavira and western/landscape artist Jack Jordan.  Both gentlemen have been supportive by providing honest critique and guidance. 

I ventured into the world of nursing and as a psychiatric nurse found that nothing had changed from studying animals and humans.  Much as mankind thinks we're different, we have the same basic behaviors as our wildlife friends. 

As a San Diego native, I have had many opportunities to sketch various wildlife at the world famous zoo, it  has been a treasure.  I won the Starbuck's/San Diego Zoo Art Contest  producing a flamingo tumbler and debit card that generated funds for  the Zoological Society and is today one of the most popular Starbuck's collector cards.