I was like most kids when I was growing up. Playing in the dirt was a daily affair. And, like most kids, I grew out of that stage and spent more time in school and reading. Very little time was left for sand and dirt, so the toys sat quietly in a closet collecting dust and reminiscing about the past.

While in elementary school I discovered drawing. I seem to have had a knack for it and it became part of me. As I got older, I studied some of the old artists and listened to classical music (I guess I wasn’t like the average child after all). I also did well in math, and enjoyed it. When it was time for college I had two options: math or art. I choose art and that is where it all started.

I graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Art, with a minor in Drawing and Design and an emphasis in pottery. Along with the degree came a teaching certificate …and one child.

Eventually, I was employed at a local manufacturing company working full-time in their employee development department. This, along with more kids, put a hold on any artistic aspirations.