I was raised in the countryside in Washington State and was always enthralled by the forests, rivers, farms and fields. My family had access to private land that was like our own park and as a child I grew to appreciate and love the beauty of land around me. My father was a fisherman and he took my sister and me on many expeditions to the Cowlitz and Tilton Rivers, as well as the Columbia. The deep, dark currents and mysterious movement of the water, the colors and shapes of the rocks, and the feel of the moist air are in my soul. I love to paint the rivers and forests in all seasons and to share my love of this special Pacific Northwest place where we are so fortunate to live. I find pastel painting to best bring these landscapes to life in my art. I also work in watercolor and do abstracts in acrylic ink which are exciting and challenging in other ways and consider myself to be a very fortunate person to have art in my life.