… my life …
Born on the West Coast, U.S.A. Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., a city steeped in art and beautiful architecture. Traveled a bit. Danced a lot. A few years ago, married a guy who is "Greg to my Dharma". Home is the Blue Ridge Mountains where we are surrounded by beauty everyday.
How did you become an artist, a friend asked me recently … and the way it happened for me was growing up surrounded by artists. Grand folks, three uncles, my father, two brothers, cousins, and a niece are all remarkable artists. No wonder I followed their lead.
Growing up, one Grandfather would have described me as "Hell for Go", which implies a person who would drop everything, put on comfy shoes, and jump a train to an art gallery or exotic bistro in the city. My other Grandfather decorated the walls of his home with murals, my favorite being a scene from Alice In Wonderland based on art by Sir John Tenniel. A close second was the Man in the Moon on the chimney in the basement.
I watched family build and paint models with fine brushes, make Muscadine wine in a garden shed, transplant hollies and dogwood from land doomed to be bulldozed, and share stories about the "Man with the Rainbow Mustache", and The Breathing Rocks of Dan's Mountain.
Being ordinary wasn't a goal for anyone I knew well. I didn't know about ordinary people until I was well into adulthood! I think that's the way I'll always look at the world: no one is really ordinary, and I feel a little sorry for anyone who strives to be run-of-the-mill.
Washington, D.C., was a great town for a career minded creative like me. I worked as a photo technician, typesetter, and graphics designer, at printers, publishers, and cottage industries. Today I design products for homes and gardens, represented by Suzanne Cruise and Ellen Seay (pronounced See) at Cruise Creative Services.
About my Old House Studio
We have a second house which is over 150 years old. I'm often found decorating and improving it, just like I watched my talented grandmother do in her mountain home. This has been a dream come true.
As a child, I could not get enough of my Grandmother's cherry-and-berry laden garden, her charming collections, the faded floral wallpapers, and the watercolor mountains in every direction from the windows. I'm drawn to everything vintage, colorful, and well-loved, especially old houses.
A little bit more …
I apologize if I can not answer your emails right away, but I promise to read everything you send .
A few snapshots from my life …
It took weeks to paint this lattic green!
