I never felt like I chose art.  I felt like art chose me. The choices I have made throughout my life to follow and listen to the artist within have brought me artistic abundance and have been guided by the teachers I have had along my journey.  These teachers, and the learning experiences I have had, support my life as an artist and my passion to becoming an art teacher.  Building upon my knowledge of the “portraits of a successful art teacher”, I strive to give children the gift that was given to me by my teachers—a love of nature, patience, kindness, and the freedom to explore in a safe community of learners.  

I first became inspired to teach after volunteering at the North Mountain Nature Center in the small community of Ashland, Oregon. While there I was introduced to children’s natural curiosity toward learning and felt at home within the mix of inquiry and exploration.  Now, several years after my work at the Nature Center, I have found my way back to the East coast where I am pursuing my passion for teaching.