Since an early age I was always drawing and painting. At 14, I completed my first oil painting. Later, that same year, I had Reye’s Syndrome. After several weeks of hospitalization, most of which was spent in an induced coma, I survived with few complications (compared to other patients.) Physical Rehabilitation took much longer, including re-learning how to walk, breathe, and move my arms which had swollen to at least twice normal size due to a buildup of fluid.

The experience of having Reye’s Syndrome further motivated me to become an artist; putting aside the notion that the arts are not a practical career choice. I went on to college and received my degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Fine and Applied Arts in Medical Illustration. I stayed in that career path for over 10 years, working as a Media Specialist in a hospital setting. Currently, I am a Senior Development Officer at The Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, NY, and produce visual art work for myself in my home studio. My subjects include inspirations of color, light and shape.