As a young child, I sat awed by Garth Williams’ art. As a babysitter, I brought WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE to share - and felt the passion of a child demanding 11 consecutively readings.
On my own at age 17, I found my way into Parsons School of Design, with Maurice Sendak among my teacher/mentors. Life and creative paths wandered, overlapped, entwined, wandered – BFA, other art and writing courses, education certification. As a Special Ed, Art, ESL teacher. I often created illustrated readers with phonetic patterns to fill the lack of supplies for my classes, and was hired by the school district to illustrate consumable materials.
I created narrative paintings, murals, pubic arts commissions, community arts projects. I helped create communities and designed world music playlists for Ecstatic Dance groups..... all while raising two children as a single mom.
I still love painting and create dance playlists/ events now and then.... however picture books are now my main focus.
I hope to bring diversity-rich character-driven emotionally authentic stories where all children have a chance to see themselves, and nature settings, to bring children back in touch with personal creativity and slower ways of living that honor all living things.