2003 Centerfest, Durham NC  3rd place 3-D

2002 Roanoke Arts and Crafts Show, Roanoke VA  2nd place 3-D

          Regional Artist Project Grant, North Carolina Arts Council

Since I was a child, I was fascinated with clay. I remember walking to kindergarten early so I could take two small balls of molding clay and form a giant ball which I then buried at the bottom of the box. Even if my table was the last to be called, I usually ended up with the biggest ball of clay. I particularly loved making animals.

I briefly majored in art while attending Northwest Missouri State University, but got discouraged, dropped out and worked a couple of years. I later enrolled at the University of Missouri/Columbia where I majored in Horticulture. It was at MU that I discovered the Craft Studio. This wonderful facility allowed students, regardless of their major, to work in several areas of crafts at their own pace. There I began my real journey into art. I met many knowledgeable and helpful individuals who gave me the encouragement and knowledge I needed to pursue my art.

In 1978, I did my first art show, Santa-Cali-Gon Days in my hometown of Independence, Mo. It was a grueling, hot, four day show. I made a grand total of $300 and I thought I was the richest woman in town. I decided to try and do art shows the summer after I graduated and see how things went. Fortunately , I was able to support myself and have been doing shows ever since.

Since then, my work has undergone many changes. Recently, I have gone from traditional methods using slips, underglazes and glazes to what is known as cold finishes: that is, painting on clay. I love the rich colors and matte finish of this technique. I can now use colors that were unattainable to me in the past.