Throughout my childhood my parents encouraged various art forms; visual, dance, music and theatre, all of which I enjoyed. This encouragement led to lasting memories and the development of my artistic abilities.

At the age of eight, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to enter a contest for aspiring artists and writers. The story that I wrote and illustrated won the contest, and I was chosen to meet Peggy Parish, the author of the Amelia Bedelia books. How I loved those books as a child and still do. It was this opportunity that instilled in me the desire to write and illustrate children's books.

At the age of ten, my parents and I moved to Saudi Arabia for what I consider a priceless experience. During the six years I lived in Arabia, I traveled extensively learning about different cultures and seeing first hand the way other people live. Those experiences created wonderful memories. As an adult, I draw on my memories to create new pieces of art. I recall countless exposures to Islamic art which is full of rich color and intricate patterns.

Previous experiences began to gel when I viewed the Matisse exhibit at the Smithsonian. Instantly I was in awe of his work, his design and use of color, but most inspiring was his work in cut paper. Upon seeing this exhibit I began investigating and creating my own pictures. Cut paper/collage is my medium of choice, and has been since college.

I have pursued an Art career, graduating with honors from Pratt Institute in '92 with a BFA in Communication Design. Since graduation I have continually stayed abreast of emerging styles and trends in art. I attribute staying current to teaching. For the past several years I have been an active member on the Baton Rouge Artist Roster. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and love of art with children, and in return the children give me fresh innovative ways to see the world. In conjunction with teaching I have also worked with various design firms creating illustrations for logos, brochures, coloring books, magazine covers and a children's book titled The Invisible Bag. Currently, I am working on a picture book that was inspired by my son.