About the Artist

Art is a third career. At Wellesley College I majored in history and then worked five years in book publishing. After earning an MBA at the University of Chicago I spent twenty years in the finance departments of two large corporations. While I enjoyed those years, I regret it took me so long to take my interest in art seriously. I was nearly fifty when I took my first drawing course. Subsequently I have taken many classes and workshops in drawing and watercolor as well as the book arts. In cut paper collage I am entirely self-taught.

My current focus is working with cut paper. Many of my pieces are the illustrations in two books I have published about Deer Isle, Maine. I am now working on a book about Philadelphia. I am a major fan of self-publishing. Books and printed cards enable me to reach a larger audience.

I hope to find pleasure doing some kind of artwork for the rest of my life.

Artist's Statement

I work either in watercolor or in cut paper collage, creating realistic but not overly detailed images that aim for freshness. I try to capture a personal somewhat playful response to the subject matter. The challenges of composition, contrast and color are different in each medium. In watercolor the trick is to avoid overworking; in cut paper adjustments are infinitely possible. I use a variety of paper sources, making serendipitous discoveries by leafing through magazines, art auction and clothing catalogs and the New York Times. Paint sample chips have sometimes provided the perfect color to complete a work in process. A finished composition may contain more than a hundred pieces.