I am a native of Chicago. Drawing and painting was a constant in my life starting from a very early age. Chicago offered an opportunity to notice and appreciate obvious and vast variations in form, seasons and cultures. The architecture, people, neighborhoods and weather are just some of the examples of that variation. It also gave me the opportunity to view the same variations and notice the similarities and patterns. I think my first 23 years of living in Chicago has helped cement my appreciation of all things artistic, different, extreme and similar. I studied life drawing and at The American Academy of Art. I also studied graphic design and illustration but craved the freedom and hands-on experience of a studio artist.

From Chicago I moved to London where I further developed my studies in drawing and painting at The American College in London and Houston where I kept up my drawing and painting. After five years in Houston my move to Austin brought forth a change in my artistic education and path.

One of the advantages of living in Austin was the opportunity I had to become involved in such a strong, friendly and passionate art community. My primary focus was to study sculpture. In 2001 I had the opportunity to enroll in a bronze sculpture class at The Austin Sculpture Center under the excellent instruction of W.C. (Bill) Barnett. My immersion into the sculpting world began.

The early figures were more exercises in learning the lost-wax process of creating sculpture, from modeling and flashing techniques to sprueing, pouring, breaking out, chasing, cleaning, sanding, sandblasting, patinas and mounting. Each sculpture presented new challenges and each challenge resulted in a learned skill. I was so overwhelmed with mechanics to get a sculpture completed back then that I didn't allow for my creativity.

My early sculptures were two-dimensional ideas being created in three-dimensional form. Finally I began to think about and execute my ideas as three-dimensional forms. One of the pivotal points in my sculpture was when I was told to "make it personal". Those words stuck with me and I could gradually see my sculpture transforming into "art" and not just "figures". My real joy came from that. It's exciting for me to see an idea through from conception to final product. Each sculpture I create I love for different reasons. Some sculptures I relate to for the struggles they presented to me and others because of the immediate thrill of the idea.

I choose to sculpt the female form primarily because I understand and relate to it more than any other form. Each piece I create starts from an emotion or vision, then imagination and skill take over. I do not use models and do not "sculpt" in the sense that I "take away from" a piece of wood, stone, clay or wax. . I "model and "build" to see my ideas through to completion. I use the word sculpture because it is the three dimensional aspect that I focus on using to the advantage of my figures.

I spend a lot of time in Northwest Michigan. The explosion of life and color in the spring and summer, the drama of autumn and the stillness and tranquility of winter make Michigan my favorite place to be still, observe and become part of the scenery. It is also the place where a lot of my ideas and inspiration seem to occur. I feel a strong connection with the land and treasure the energy it gives me.

I currently work out of a studio in my home and take my sculpture to be cast at a local art foundry.