Over the years I have lived in a variety of locations: the Netherlands, the Niagara Peninsula, Nova Scotia, Chicago, Kansas and since 1977 in Western Canada. I was a student at McMaster University and the Art Institute of Chicago. I graduated with a B.A. in fine arts from Bethel College, Kansas and a B.Ed. from Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. Now I live in Edmonton where I have time to paint in my home studio after retiring from teaching in an elementary school. I have more roots here than anywhere else and I have come to love the landscapes of the Prairies and the Rocky Mountains. In the last few years I have painted en plein air with the Jasper Watercolour Retreat Society in and on my own at my favorite location, Lake O’Hara. Although I enjoy painting en plein air, I do my best work in my studio using sketches and photos for reference. Because of its expressiveness and immediacy, watercolour is my favorite medium, especially for florals, but I also love acrylic paint for its versatility. To develop as an artist, I have participated in numerous workshops, notably with Mike Svob, Stephen Quiller, Brian Atyeo, Brent Laycock and Gregg Johnson. As an active member of the Edmonton Art Club since 2011, I take part in the club exhibitions, workshops and other activities, and I am currently the president. Robert Genn must have had me in mind when he wrote, “Painting is a job for a certain type of person, sort of a stubborn individualist with a strong focus and a butterfly mind.” Although I flit from one idea to another and explore a variety of materials and techniques I persist in trying to capture a mood, or a feeling or a passage of light in a painting that will catch the eye.