The first time I stopped to really look at a watercolor painting was in my first year of art school. In an introduction to Watercolor class, the teacher, Leo Stoutsenberger, talked about painting landscapes with watercolor and then turned out the lights to show us slides of some of his work. I remember feeling like I was being pushed back into my chair with each new slide that lit up the screen…they had so much power. I was hooked on watercolor right then and there.

I studied painting there at Paier School of Art in New Haven, Connecticut and then for a year at Coronado School of Fine Art in San Diego. I finished my studies at Philadelphia College of Art majoring in design. While making my living as a designer for forty years, I continued to study, learn and paint with watercolor.

I've taken workshops with some incredible painters and have learned so much from them. I'd like to thank; Ken Potter, Milford Zornes, Henry Fukuhara, Frank Webb, Don O'Neill, Frank Francese, Christopher Schink, Skip Lawrence, Karen Frey and Robert Landry. (I studied with Robert while I was a student in San Diego, only to find out some time later that he and my mother had been classmates at Abbott School of Art in the 1940s!)

I owe a special thanks to Ken Potter for all of his help and advice. I met Ken in 1989 and took workshops with him a number of times. We became friends over the years and he would invite me to go out and paint with him. He was a great mentor and pushed me to learn and to enter my work into shows. Thanks Ken!

Teaching
I've been teaching watercolor classes for six years in Mill Valley as well as at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael. I really enjoy teaching, sharing what I've learned and helping others to learn about watercolor and painting/drawing. You can read more about my teaching experience and classes here.

In March of 2020, with the shelter in place order, our Mill Valley class has not been able to meet. We decided that we would stay in touch and that I would send a photograph to paint from each week and we'd share what we did. After a few weeks doing that by email, I started a blog to send the photo assignment and share information with the class. Like everything with that group, it's been fun and rewarding.

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Juried and Group Shows

Harrington Gallery, Pleasanton, CA - Art in Place Exhibit, 2020

Marin Watercolor Society, Group Exhibit, Marin Civic Center, 2020

Harringtonn Gallery, Pleasanton, CA - Fresh Works Juried Exhibit, 2020

WASH Juried Members Exhibit, "Awash" 2020 - Sacramento, CA

Sacramento Fine Arts Center - Magnum Opus Exhibit, 2020 - Sacramento, CA

Danville Village Gallery - Affordable Art Exhibit, 2019 - Danville, CA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2019 - Third Place - Walnut Creek, CA

Marin County Fair, 2019 Plein Air Competition - Merit Award

Marin County Fair, 2019 6 x 6 Category - Honorable Mention

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2019 - Honorable Mention- San Ramon, CA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2019 - Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA

WASH Juried Exhibit, Go With the Flow, 2019 - Judges Award- Sacramento, CA

WASH Juried Exhibit, Go With the Flow, 2019 - Award of Merit - Sacramento, CA

Napa Town & County Fair, 2019, Napa, CA - Special Award

Danville Village Gallery - Into the Blue Exhibit, 2019 - Danville, CA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2019 - Honorable Mention - Danville, CA

Harringtonn Gallery, Pleasanton, CA - Fresh Works Exhibit, 2019

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2018 - San Ramon, CA

Napa Town & County Fair, 2018, Napa, CA - Award of Merit

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2018 - Dominican University, CA

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento – Go With the Flow Show, 2018

Marin County Fair, 2018 Marvelous Marin Category - Honorable Mention

Marin County Fair, 2018 Small Works Category - First Place

Marin County Fair, 2018 Plein Air Competition - Honorable Mention

Green Mountain Watercolor Exhibition, 2018, Waitsfield, Vermont

Cerulean Arts 6th Annual Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2018 - San Ramon, CA

Falkirk Cultural Center, Fall Juried Show, 2018

Rhode Island Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibit, 2017

Northern California Arts, Inc. Bold Expressions Juried Exhibit, 2017

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento – WASH Juried Exhibit, 2017 - Honorable Mention

Falkirk Cultural Center, Fall Juried Show, 2017 - Honorable Mention

Marin County Fair, 2017 Plein Air Competition - Honorable Mention

Marin County Fair, 2017 Art Exhibit Juried Show

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2017 - San Ramon, CA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2017 - Brentwood, CA

California Watercolor Association, Juried Member Exhibit, 2016 - Honorable Mention

Valley Art Center, Cleveland, Ohio, En Plein Air Juried Exhibit, 2016

Northern California Arts, Inc. Bold Expressions Juried Exhibit, 2016

Falkirk Cultural Center, Fall Juried Show, 2016

Philadelphia Watercolor Society, Juried Member Exhibition, 2016

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento – WASH Juried Exhibit, 2016 - Honorable Mention 

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento –  Magnum Opus Show, 2016

Marin County Fair, 2016 Art Exhibit Juried Show - Honorable Mention

Falkirk Cultural Center, Spring Juried Show, 2016

Marin County Fair, 2015 Art Exhibit Juried Show

Marin County Fair, 2014 Art Exhibit Juried Show

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento – Magnum Opus Show, 2014

California Watercolor Association Annual National Exhibition 2014, - Salis International Award

Marin County Fair, 2013 Art Exhibit Juried Show

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento – Magnum Opus Show, 2010 - Award of Excellence

National Watercolor Society All Member Juried Exhibit, 2010

Northwest Watercolor Society Annual National Exhibition, 2010

MarinScapes - Fundraising Show2010

Southern Colorado Watercolor Society Aquarius National Exhibit, 2010

Watercolor West National Exhibition, 2009 - Holbein Award

California Watercolor Association Annual National Exhibition 2007

Louisiana Watercolor Society 18th Annual Exhibition, New Orleans


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