As a public school art teacher for the past 21 years,  I have had the privilege to hone my observation skills while daily participating in the art making experience. I am inspired by a child’s innate ability to play. When I am able to do my own art, I love to enter into the state of flow that children easily access and play with materials and concepts. This state of flow is a healing state, a deep-connection state of being that helps me to connect with things that are important to me such as the evergiving natural world and joy. Painting and collage are my mediums of choice. I am drawn to texture and often add various materials such as sand and tissue paper to bring out contrasts in texture and color.