B a c k g r o u n d / B i o

Began oil painting lessons at age 8 years through my artist-grandmother. Introduced to hand sewing, machine sewing and embroidery techniques at about 10 years of age through my mother. Continued to draw and paint in my teen years and early adult life, throughout high school and two years of college, taking all the art classes available. Also during those years taught myself to knit, crochet and draft patterns as well as draping technique.

In about 1977, met and began working with Toni Lowenthal, an alumna of Pacific Basin School of Fiber Arts, later Fiberworks, and classmate of Gyongy Laky. Toni visited my dressmaker’s shop in Santa Barbara and suggested we work together to complete a project of hers. Through her I was introduced to weaving and contemporary art-to-wear.

When I moved to Sacramento in 1980 I established my own weaving studio and began exhibiting my art-to-wear. From that time to 1985 I focused on creating primarily one-of-a-kind pieces, showing and exhibiting at such galleries as Meyer Breier Wiess Gallery in San Francisco, Julie’s in New York, Freehand in Los Angeles and Hand and Spirit in Scottsdale. It was during this time that my work drew the attention of Jo Ann Stabb, Design faculty emeritus, who invited me to speak to her class. Later I engaged a few interns from the Design Department.