Stories are woven into the fabric of universal human understanding. They are able to tell us about ourselves because we see our reflection in the characters, but also, since they are fictional, they release the imagination and we are able to see far beyond ourselves. Through storytelling, authors invent new worlds and characters, and the illustrator has an opportunity to build upon and interpret that world with an invention of his or her own. As a painter, I am fascinated by the partnership between these two creative forces. Whether I am engaged in a structured narrative or relating my surroundings to an audience, I am telling a story. I was born in Milwaukee, WI, earned a degree studying painting at University in Dallas, TX and spent subsequent years in Acadia National Park, ME, Winter Park, CO and now Santa Fe, NM where I have made my home. I have lived in Rome and spent time in India and Wales. My life has been full of adjustments to new and exciting places. My paintings have been a way of relating to my experience in these disparate places.  My most current work, therefore, is an illustration of my own story.  It is not fictional, but offers an endless array of characters and settings to explore.