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A wee bit about me.

Hello and welcome!

I live in New Brunswick, Canada, I am influenced by the beauty of where we live and the places we visit.

My art journey began in 2012 when I lost my wedding ring. What does this have to do with illustrating, you may ask? We bought a metal detector to find the ring. The following spring we took a trip, I knew my hubby would be metal detecting and I brought a set of watercolor pencils to entertain myself with on the beach.

I had not drawn since high school, I did not know that what I was doing was creating a visual journal. People would stop to talk about what I was painting; kids wanted to try my pencils'; I met talented young people who drew but had no tools, so I shared what I had.

When I got home, I signed up for watercolor and acrylic classes at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba. At the same time a good friend convinced me to join a figure drawing group there. I felt over my head but the other artists welcomed me and encouraged me to keep at it. It was a once in a life-time experience, I miss the group very much.

We retired to New Brunswick, Canada in 2013, I felt at a standstill, to paint better I needed to draw better. I stumbled onto a group called Sketchbook Skool (yes, it really is spelled that way). I had no idea that it would be a turning point in my artistic life. Their classes were taught in a fun, loose way by some of the best illustrators and artists in the industry. As students, we knew we were part of something very special.

I worked at it eight hours or more every day, seven days a week. One of the other students commented, “Your drawings look like they belong in a children’s’ book”. A seed was planted and I began to dream of illustrating children’s books. That became my goal and one year to the day of starting Sketchbook Skool, I was contracted for my first book.

I attended the Children's Book Academy, The Craft and Business of Illustrating Children's Books. The classes are taught by Knof/Random House Editor, Julia Maguire and Mira Reisberg. It has been an intense and valuable experience and I am grateful.

I am like a kid when I get a new manuscript in my hands. I get so excited about creating characters and a story boards, then watching everything come to life when the inking is done and the painting begins. It just never looses its magic.

My main illustration priorities are to make the experience a personal one, provide good service and the illustration is not done until it is perfect.

When I am not working on books, I sketch from life for fun. I paint custom pieces, I work from photos to capture other peoples special moments. I specializes in people portraits, pet portraits, pet memorials as well as houses, cabins and vacation homes.

I have a soft-spot for Bichons, we are proud owners and love the breed. It has been an honour to do many Bichon portraits for other Bichon families.

I love learning and I enjoy helping others reach their creative dreams.