My school training was at the Museum Art School in Portland, Oregon
(now called the Pacific School of the Northwest). I studied graphic
design and illustration graduating with a BA in 1972. I met my husband
Peter, an artist as well, while attending college there.

Soon after being married we decided to start a sign painting business
where I helped Peter with the cartooning and drawing. It was after our
children were born that I found my love for paper mache .

When my eldest son Jack was having his 6th birthday I made 12 paper
mache alligator hats for party favors. It wasn't long after that  when I
began making hats and masks to sell to adults. The most popular hats
were rainbow trout and mallard ducks with feet and all. I supplied many
stores in the Portland area for many years.

When I took a break from the hats, I started making free form
sculptures with the paper mache pulp. I enjoyed the 3 dimensional
results I got from the paper mache medium. At that time I concentrated
on Christmas items only.

I joined the Wy'east Artisans Guild to help me show my work and to
encourage myself to try other mediums. This group pushed me to
reach beyond what was comfortable and to try reaching out for new
things.

I am now making what I call my "Tea Ladies" creations along with
sculpting actual people for wedding cake tops. It seems like I've only
scratched the surface of what I can do with paper mache.

You can find my work being permanently displayed at the Sandy,
Oregon library in the children's section and at the Wy'east Book
Shoppe and Art Gallery in Welches, Oregon. Other new works may be
seen at the Folkswork Gallery in Chicago, and at the Larch Mountain
Artisans Guild November Show in Troutdale, Oregon.
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