I have been making art all my life; encouraged by my mother, an artist. My mother died of cancer when I was almost 9 years old: the trauma catalyzed my journey into art making. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, I studied traditional drawing and painting at California State University, Long Beach; and more experimental drawing, book works, and performance at the University of California at Irvine.
I moved to New York City upon graduation; a difficult time for me to find my way in the world. But I became active in various feminist, political, and arts communities. I traveled through Mexico and Central America by myself for one year in 1984-1985, painting and learning about the places I visited. I then became trained as a technical illustrator for archaeologists. I worked on seven excavations in Egypt, as well as excavations in Turkey, Spain, Belize, and California. Making accurate line drawings of artifacts. 1995-2013. These experiences, and my own study of ancient cultures and mythology have informed my personal art. I continued to work on my personal art during this time. I have been awarded artist residencies at the Henry Street Settlement, the Kate Millett Art Colony, the Vermont Studio Center, the Maříž Ceramic Workshop in the Czech Republic, Fundación Valparaíso in Mojácar, Spain, and an artist’s fellowship from Earthwatch to work in Orce, Spain.