From a very early age, I knew that I was an artist. I began drawing before I could read. Art is still my first language. My parents enrolled me in private oil painting lessons when I was seven, here I studied color, composition and technique for the next eleven years. I went on to graduate from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia with my BFA in Media Arts. I walk through life mesmerized at every turn by colors, shapes, letters and patterns, exploring the relationships amongst them, through them and between them. I often texture my canvases with gravel and other materials to create a rough surface, similar to cave paintings. I then apply paint in thick layers and will often cut through the paint with sharp implements to create lines, borders and movement. I feel like an explorer, searching for new objects, forms and colors in hopes of finding something new out of the familiar.

 

While continuing with my painting, my design career started with less planning. I created paper collage card illustrations which were accepted by Great Arrow Graphics. Over two decades later, I have created over 200 cards, won a Louie Award and still enjoy creating designs for Great Arrow in my spare time. I have had the pleasure of working with a diverse group of collaborators, including Macy’s, Target, Camelbak, Kimberly Clark (Kleenex), Trader Joe’s, Hallmark, MOMA, Oopsy Daisy, Land of Nod, Forbes and many others. I combine drawing, painting, textures and patterns and reassemble them, often digitally, to create my illustrations. Through t-shirts, water bottles, greeting cards, wall decor, yoga mat designs, web art, gift wrap, candles, ornaments, magazine illustrations, marketing materials and logos, my work has reached millions of homes around the world.

 

When I am not trailing oil paint through my apartment or lost in an Adobe program, you can find me with my dog, Ziggy, or teaching yoga.