Thank you for joining me. I grew up in upstate New York in a small village along a curvy shoreline of the Erie Canal & Mohawk River forming the southern boundary of the Town of Clifton Park. The Vischer Ferry Nature & Historic Preserve was our playground. It embraces the land and water between Riverview Road and the Mohawk River. A natural area with an abundance of wetlands, floodplain, and amazing birds and wildlife. My parents made a conscious and bold decision to move us out of the suburbs to a historic farmhouse built in 1847 with 50 acres of land and wild spaces. Exploring the woods, waters, working hard, and getting lost was a regular occurrence. 

My first memorable painting was a watercolor of an autumn leaf in 2nd grade. My parents were very supportive of my artwork. At an early age, they enrolled me in oil painting classes with a local artist. In high school, at a parent teacher conference I have a vivid memory of my art teacher in conversation with my parents. He encouraged and shared how a career in art is possible. He said; “Art is everywhere, she can work in any business and her creativity will shine.” I can still see my Dad’s face when he understood that concept and believed. I was fortunate to align with deeply talented professors in art school and received a BFA in Painting from Daemen University in Amherst, NY in 1986.