A long time ago...
I fell in love with picture books. I inherited the entire Dr. Seuss collection from my father's family, complete with crayon embellishments from my young aunts and uncles. I read Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad stories ad nauseum. Those tales, in conjunction with my adventures as a young naturalist (rarely could I be found without a frog in a pocket), inspired me to create my first picture books, Frog Family Adventures. They were carefully constructed on lined paper with crayons and scotch tape in early elementary school. I continued to enjoy drawing and writing throughout my school years.

Not quite so long ago...
I did my graduate study at the School of Visual Arts where I received my MFA in Illustration. I had the honor of studying with legendary fine artists, illustrators and authors, including my thesis advisor Peter Sis whose encouragement and dedication greatly increased my reverence for children's books. I was awarded a merit scholarship after completing my first year of work in the program. I then lived in Manhattan for six years where I worked as an art director for various publications. (Yes, Manhattan is darn expensive and as much as I hoped to work on children's book illustration, those pesky school loans had to be paid). Since relocating to the Bay Area, I have continued to work as an art director and creative director for a variety of design and marketing firms. I have also continued to paint; my watercolors have won numerous awards and have been displayed in a variety of galleries.

Fairly recently...
I took on the challenging and extremely rewarding role of "mama". This step away from the hectic pace of art direction has allowed me to return to creating children's picture books, inspired by daily adventures with my two-year old daughter and our faithful dog, Disco. My life has come full circle, as I find myself painting frogs (and plenty of other creatures) once again.

A side note: Our picture book collection still includes those tattered Dr. Seuss books, now three generations old. We read daily: before naps, before bed, when she's cranky and sometimes just because. She recites the words, the rhymes and scours the details of the pictures. Even though we live in a truly wonderful place, I am constantly reminded of how much bigger reading has made her world.

Why watercolor?
My curiosity with the watercolor medium began during my undergraduate days, many of which were spent diluting acrylic paint so it didn't look so heavy to me. It was the transparency that drew me to watercolor. As time goes on, it is the opposing forces that keep me intrigued -- light versus shadow and spontaneity versus control. The interplay and resolution of these conflicts engage me every time I paint.