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Born in Schenectady,
N.Y., I was the middle child between two boys. Both parents were trained fine artists,
graduates of Syracuse University. I also graduated from
Syracuse University but not in fine arts because my Dad just felt it
was too insecure a way to make a living. But he did well
and was listed in Who's Who in American Art
and now is
listed in Who Was Who in American Art. He was an
artist / director for the General Electric Company for 35 years but was also a teacher and held workshops as well as teaching at the local
museum.
I started drawing and painting when a toddler on my father's knee in his large
studio and
took lessons one summer at the museum. That was about it
except for being allowed to
look at art books veerrrry carefully ("kink" was a four letter word in
our house and I learned early
on how to handle these precious books.). The house actually
sunk a few inches over the years from the hundreds of books lining
the built in shelves lining walls in the living room
and upstairs in my father's large studio.
After graduating, married to my college
sweetheart ), became a mom and moved
to
Boston, Mass. where we lived for six years. I loved that city. I've also lived in
Chicago and Kankakee, IL, Wilmington, N.C. and Memphis, TN. Since 1989, we've
lived in Lakeland, FL which is between Tampa and Orlando on the West side. I
worked for twenty years at a variety of jobs, always crafting and sewing on the
side (even sold a bunch of my hand crafted jewelry over several years).
My last job before I quit to care for my mom (who passed away in 1994), was for an
environmental firm. Then I decided to take the big jump and actually quit my "real"
job in 1997
to pursue my
art full time on the internet through two web sites - one at
Jeans Dog
Shop and the other at
My
Craft Showroom that now links to my
designs on products made by
Cafe
Press.)
I love to read when I get a chance
(fiction and non-fiction) and am an avid Oprah fan. Since my
former hobbies have now become a source of income, I don't really have any
more hobbies except maybe dusting (I'm not kidding but
I am lying because hobbies are supposed to be fun. I wish I was
like Martha Stewart who loves to do that kind of stuff.)
I also love watching
Animal Planet with my
dog Paddy who jumps down from the couch and sits
up in front of the TV and often jumps up and shuts it off by mistake.
My extra-curricular activity is volunteer work at the SPCA every
other week and my husband
and I also belong to an organization who helps the poor in our area.
I have a son
Jordan, daughter-in-law Anastasia
and two
grand kids -
Nicholas
and Lauren
who live in New Jersey (we're in Florida). I also have a wonderful step
daughter Kerrie who
lives in California with her husband Jack and am now a grandmother for the
third time when beautiful Molly,
two in December 2007, was born. My husband Jim, an
excellent golfer (2 handicap)
is one
of the nicest people I know. We met in
Wilmington, N.C. and we've been married 23 years in 2008.
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