Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, I had dreams at an early age of becoming an artist.  I enjoyed drawing, and took many art classes in high school.  I studied at the Art Institute of Dallas, and decided "big city life" wasn't for me.  I returned to the Midwest and eventually to my home town.  I dabbled in many mediums, while working to make a living.  I began working for a pharmaceutical company, where I met my husband.  We soon wed and I left my job in favor of raising a family.  I took a few workshops for fun, and as my son got older and my step-daughters moved on with their own lives I started "getting the bug" to work in art again.  I worked in pastel for awhile, doing mostly commissions.   I worked for awhile in oils, which I did enjoy.  I have settled on graphite as my medium of choice.  It gives me the control I love, and the effects that can be acheived are endless.  My style is realistic, with emphasis on lighting and mood.  My second passion, beyond art has always been animals.  By this time we were growing quite a menagerie of our own animals.  Animals were an obvious choice for subjects.  We traveled to South Africa where my desire to portray animals intensified.  We have visited that country one other time and hope to return in the next few years, when we plan to spend some time at Krueger National Park.  It is truly a Mecca for those who want to photograph African wildlife.  I use photos for reference, and the opportunity that trip will afford me will be priceless.   I now split my time between art and the breeding and care of my animals, combining my two loves.  My hope is that my appreciation and passion for animals comes through in my work.  I cannot imagine life without animals around me.  Our menagerie now numbers over thirty, including whitetail deer, fennec foxes, ringtail cats, a skunk, llamas, and a host of others.  Animals bring me much enjoyment, and I hope that my portrayal of them will bring some of that joy to others as well.