During school years the art lessons were much anticipated each week and always too few, so I had some watercolor lessons with a local professional near us in New Hampshire and copied animal greeting cards and illustrations in pen and ink. I also became very skilled at house portraits in pencil.

A career as an artist was for me, so with much encouragement from family and friends, I attended The Art Institute of Boston and immediately fell in love with the traditional painting, figure drawing and art history classes. It was total immersion and I soaked up the education like a sponge. While in Boston I had the opportunity to paint in Normandy, France with Jason Berger. This opened the door for more time in France upon graduation from AIB in 1987. The rural scenes of cows, pastures and flint cottages appealed to me as a painting subject, as well as the French way of life. Many of my artistic heroes resided in Europe- Chardin, Bonheur, Sorolla, van Gogh, Rembrandt, Singer-Sargent- so the attraction was natural, magnetic. Another very strong influence in my artistic development was my great, great Aunt Laura who was highly skilled in pastels and a gifted colorist. *Laura Coombs Hills 1859-1952. It is her influence that prompted me to try pastel painting several years ago and I am absolutely hooked! The vibrancy, immediacy and sketchy quality from little sticks of chalk are unlike anything I have ever used before, connecting my heart and mind to that initial love of drawing I discovered as a child.

Happily my husband shares my love of art, painting and France also. Together we have spent many years drawing & painting in various  locations, learning French, Spanish and Italian languages and exhibiting artwork.  I have exhibited at the Mall Galleries, London with the Pastel Society and Society of Women Artists; in Aldeburgh, Snape and Woodbridge in Suffolk and also the author of a book about pastels for children.