The natural world and its beauty have always been central to my life, especially through art, which began with photography using my old 35mm camera. Designing compositions with the camera and working in the darkroom became a passion and potential career path until the "starving artist" comments took their toll.
I hold an AA in music, a BS, and an MA in math education, all of which I applied to teach high school and junior college. I cherished my 37 years of teaching before retiring. Throughout these years, I became known as the "plant lady gardener," creating landscapes of color filled with various plants and flowers, always finding room for more.
Since retiring, painting has become my world. I've dedicated myself to learning through classes, courses (both live and online), videos, readings, and books, always exploring and affirming my knowledge and application of my art.
I spend countless hours creating expressive compositions from my experiences walking, hiking, and traveling. I begin by observing the world around me, capturing inspiring moments, and then carefully translating them onto the canvas with a painterly, impressionistic flair. Many of my pieces are painted en plein air. I strive to create artworks that draw attention and imagination and tell a story. I believe I was always destined to be an artist, and I am grateful to have found my greatest passion.
I have been honored to exhibit my work in local, national, and international juried shows, earning several award recognitions. My greatest reward, however, is when others find joy in my work. It is incredibly gratifying when someone appreciates my art enough to hang it in their home.
Honors & Exhibitions
2019 Arts Benicia Art of a Community Exhibition
2019 Arts Benicia juried show 'August Spring'
2019 Arts Benicia Open Studios exhibition
2019 Plein Air Gallery Paint-Out exhibition
2019 aRT Cottage Art Show Exhibit 'Beach Girl'
2020 LST Landscapes 'Dipsea Stairs' Special Recognition
2020 Arts Benicia Art of a Community Exhibition
2020 Arts Benicia Holiday Art Market Exhibition
2021 Arts Benicia juried show 'Umbrella Girl'
2021 FSVAA Art on the Vine Festival exhibition
2021 Arts Benicia Holiday Art Market Exhibition
2021 LST LST Nature 'Should Stay or Should I Go' SR
2021 LST Landscapes 'Bodega By Beach' Entre SR
2021 LST Seascapes 'Winter at Shore' SR
2021 LST City Scapes 'Golden View' 9th place paintings/media
2021 LST All Women. 'Boathouse Fog' SR
'Benicia Sunset' Special Merit
2022 Gallerium Art Exhibit Book of Arts: Publication. 'Bouquet Ball Rose'
2022 LST Abstract 'Floral Sea' SR
2022 LST Summer 555 'Desert Beauty' SM
2022 'Desert Beauty' published in book: Finnerty's RV Folly: A Solo Nomadic Journey of Sorts by Thomas Finnerty
2022 LST Open ' Weather to Sail' SR
2022 LST Children juried show 'Sharing the Love'
2022 Plantarium/Biafarin 'Headlands in Spring' SR
2022 LST Botanicals 'Headlands in Spring' SR
2022 LST Botanicals 'Pink in Red' SM
2022 LST All Women. 'Fog on Ninth' ST SM
2022 HQ Gallery Camel Barn exhibition
2022 MAA Art in the Park Martinez exhibition
2022 FSVAA Spring Forward Art Fair
2022 CAA juried show Journeys San Ramon City Hall Gallery
2022 FSVAA Art on the Vine Fair
2022 FSVAA Art Crush exhibition
2022 CAA Ygnacio Valley Library Rota Gallery Exhibition
2022 Arts Benicia Art of a Community Exhibition
2022 aRT Cottage Art Show Journeys: Exploring Mind World
2022 LAA Ekphrasis juried show
2022 FSVAA Black Friday Fair
2023 LST Summer 'Before the Rain' SR
2023 LST Summer 'Beach Girl' SM
2023 LST Primary Colors 'Backroads Winery Orange' SR
2023 LST Landscapes 'State Park Trail' SM
2023 LST 'Beneath the Clouds', Honorable Mention
2023 LST 'Backroads Winery' SM
2023 LST 'Shadows' SR
2023 LST Open 'After the Rain 'SR
2023 LST Women 'It's the Tree' SM
2023 Main Street Benicia Art Walk Poster Art Contest 2nd and 3rd place
2023 Arts Benicia Carquinez Review II juried publication, 'Benicia Sunset'
2023 Arts Benicia Art of a Community 'Headlands in Spring'
2023 FSVAA Spring Forward Art Fair exhibition
2023 LAA Ekphrasis Juried 'Sharing the Love'
2023 CAA Summer juried show 'Buddies by the Bay', 'Bodega Bay Cliffs'
2023 FSVAA Art on the Vine art fair
2023 LAA Juried show Spring Show 'Greener Touch of Red'
2023 LAA juried show 'Benicia Sunset', 'Winter at the Shore', 'Truck'in On'
2023 LAA juried show Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery Opposites 'August Spring', River city'
2023 LAA juried show Spring Show 'Greener Touch of Red'
2023 aRT Cottage 60th Anniversary exhibition 'Benicia Sunset'
2023 LAA juried show Brilliance 'Daily Rituals'
2024 Village Theatre & Art Gallery juried show 'After a Rain'
2024 LST Summer 'State Park Mustards' SR
2024 LST Nature 'State Park Road' SR
2024 American Artists Professional League juried show 'After A Rain'
2024 Sheridan Prize for Art juried show 'Bench with a View', 'Daily Rituals', 'First Street Pier', 'Good Morning'
2025 CAA What in the World juried show 'Storm'in on the Bay' & 'Washington CA Place'
2025 LAA juired show 'Pescadero Marsh National Preserve'
2025 LAA juried show 'Lake Herman Clouds'
2025 CAA juired show 'Pescadero Marsh National Preserve'
2025 LAA juried show 'UC Botanical Garden Girl'
2025 LST Seashore Pescadero Marsh National Preserve SM
2025 Arts Benicia Art of a Community 'Rowers'
2025 Alamo Danville Artists Society juried show 'First Street Pier', 'State Park Treasures', 'Bench with a View'
2025 LST Landscapes top 20 in painting & media 'Winter Sunrise'
2025 National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS) Morning at Southampton juried show
2023 Open Studios Benicia Arsenal
2023 Sheridan Prize for Art juried show
2023 Benicia Peddlers Fair
2023 LAA Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery Show California Dreamin juried show
2023 MAA Art in the Park Fair Martinez
2023 Glashoff Art Festival juried exhibition
2023 FSVAA Crush Art Fair
2023 LAA Papillon Café Lafayette Winter juried show
2023 FSVAA Black Friday Art Fair
2024 Arts Benicia Art of a Community exhibition
2024 MAA Art in the Park Fair Martinez
2024 Glashoff Art Festival juried exhibition
2024 LAA Ekphrasis juried show
2024 Open Studios Benicia Art, IronHorse Benica
2024 Ekersons juried art fair, Novato
2024 aRT Cottage Brush Strokes exhibition
2024 LAA JMH Gallery Walnut Creek juried show
2024 LAA juried show Main Street Gallery, Martinez, Delighted by the Light
2024 Alamo/Danville Primavera juried show
2024 Village Theatre & Art Gallery Botanica juried show
2024 CAA juried show Centre Concord
2024 LAA juried show JMH Gallery Walnut Creek
2024 Second place Nor-Cal Regional Juried Show
Professional Artist Membership Organizations
Arts Benicia since 2017
American Impressionist Society (AIS), associate member since 2020
Fairfield Solano Visual Art Association. FSVAA. since 2021
Contra Costa Plein Air Facebook since 2022
Martinez Art Association (MAA) since 2022
Concord Art Association. (CAA) since 2022
Lamorinda Arts Alliance. (LAA) since 2022
Alamo Danville Artists Society (ADAS) since 2023
Berkeley Art Center (BAC) 2024