To me, painting, in fact all art, is the expression of one's innermost feelings at a given moment. Skills and knowledge acquired up to the point of creating a work of art come into play, but they are only the tools. It is the emotional aspect that brings insight - the essence of the work of art. The medium used to express these feelings is merely the "language" chosen. To capture the character and life experiences seen in an old man's face, to capture the moment the fog rolls in, to capture the feeling and gesture of a moment in dance, I consider art. 

I was born and brought up in New York City. Art and music were ever present in my home and I enjoyed both, equally. As a teenager I was interested in making things with my hands "out of nothing."  I enjoyed teaching arts and crafts at a summer camp in the Adirondacks and spent time designing and making hats and articles of clothing just for fun. However, not until I entered my last semester in high school did I ever think of pursuing an art education.

With the encouragement of my teachers, I decided to go to art school. I attended the famous Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and also studied at the Art Student's League in New York with some outstanding art teachers. I continued, at the Art Student's League until I married. There was little time for art when my children were young.  However, as they grew, we, as a family, spent our weekends going to museums and talking about art and music.

My husband and I and our two daughters moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1970.  Shortly thereafter, I returned to my first love, painting. I was thrilled to find that I still enjoyed painting as much as I did. However, it wasn't until I attended my first meeting of the Beverly Hills Art Club and met the Russian Master painter, Sergei Bongart, that I began to develop a greater understanding of art. Sergei seemed to tie everything I had ever learned together, and I developed a greater understanding of how to see color. I studied with Sergei Bongart at his workshop in Rexburg, Idaho and continued, to study with him in his class, whenever he was in his Santa Monica studio. I had a feeling for painting that I never knew existed/or me. Although I do paint many other things, the portrait, the figure, those are my passion. I paint for the love of painting, to capture an emotion. That is my goal each time I pick up a brush.

I have enjoyed further study at various painting workshops at the Scottsdale Artists School in Arizona, as well as classes at Otis/Parsons in Los Angeles.

In the mid 1980 's I was accepted as an Artist Member of the prestigious California Art Club. For many years I also was a member of the San Gabriel Art Association and have received awards at their annual shows. Since relocating to Santa Clarita a year ago, I have been a member of the Santa Clarita Artists' Association. Recently, I received an award for a portrait in oil, "Mr. Albert,"  at the Barnes & Noble "Art You Love" show.