I was born into an artistic family of painters, writers and musicians. My mother, a painter and portrait artist, had me attending life class by age twelve. She also took me plein air painting with her for many years in the Algoma region near my grandparents’ summer home on St Joseph’s Island.
I started my formal art education at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh studying painting, sculpture and industrial design. After graduating I found a challenging and rewarding career in toy invention and design. I spent my weekends and holidays honing my skills as a painter.
Since retiring from the toy industry I have been painting full time. My studio is close to the Oakville and Bronte harbours of Lake Ontario. The reflections of boats and water intermingling on each other at various times of the day provide an endless source of subject matter. During the summer months I head north to capture the rugged but quiet beauty of the outer islands, inlets and marshes of Georgian Bay. My summer studio is at our cottage in Snug Harbour just north of Parry Sound, Ontario.