I was born in the plains of the Texas Panhandle, a place of wide sunny skies, endless wind, and infinite vistas.  I longed for mountains and imagined distant clouds to be mountain ranges.  Moving to New Mexico gave me the peaks, but I missed the open plains.  Today I live with my husband and best friend Ted, along with Kaia-thewonderdog in a beautiful river valley surrounded by mountain ranges in eastern Oregon. 

I have a bachelor of science in education and a master of arts in counseling psychology.  My professional experience includes science teaching in elementary and middle school; counseling and case management for individuals with severe mental illness; individual, couple, and group psychotherapy; and vocational counseling for individuals with disabilities.  I am certified in mediation and currently hold Oregon licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor.

My art training has come from classes taught by talented local artists, distance education classes from a community college, and collegial art experiences with artist friends.