Artist Statement: I enjoy painting people doing the ordinary things in their lives more than any other subject matter. The informality of a picture of people at work and play says much more about them than any posed portrait.

In Crossing the Street, the building and the lamppost show a street in Oaxaca, Mexico. The mother is clearly making sure her daughter is safe. I like strong design elements in my artwork. In this case, the composition is basically two strong verticals (the lamppost and the figures) and one horizontal (the line of the sidewalk). Because the major compositional lines are parallel to the edges of the painting, it is given a sense of calmness or serenity.

The young girl in Waiting was waiting for her parents to pack up and leave their vacation cabin in Yosemite. She had been told to sit still and not get in the way. Fortunately, the girl was entranced by a group of artists who were painting nearby. She sat relatively still for a nine year-old, so I was able to make a sketch and take enough photographs to complete a painting. The strong horizontal format gives the scene a sense of calmness. The major compositional lines of two strong verticals and one horizontal add to the peacefulness of the scene. The open door forms a frame for the head of the girl, emphasizing her importance.

I have painted since childhood. I was graduated with a degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. I have worked as an economist, taught in elementary school and also taught watercolor to adults both here and abroad. I have traveled and painted on all 7 continents and in more than 60 countries. Each new place and culture inspires me to communicate my ideas and feelings through my watercolors.