As a full-time working artist, I strive to create unique fashion accessories incorporating a sense of whimsy, industrial materials, fabulous textures and good old fashioned ingenuity. The utilization of industrial machinery affords me the opportunity to meld unusual textures such as recycled bicycle tires with a cotton tapestry. I enjoy the surprise of Astroturf as a durable fiber in an everyday handbag. I continually stretch the boundaries of my designs through the use of sculptural thinking while creating functional pieces.
About 15 years ago, I gave up my career as a drug & alcohol counselor in the criminal justice system. I hold an M. Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh. My career now takes me to some of the finest arts festivals selling my product line, but some of my proudest accomplishments include teaching my processes to others. I not class="MsoNormal"> I look forward to the challenges life offers me and have been stretching my abilities through costume design for local theater and dance companies as well as for national television campaigns. I am also enjoying the exploration of draping, for site specific installation, creating unique spaces and moods with gigantic pieces of fabric.