I have paid attention to the creative spark throughout my life whether in the classroom as a teacher, wife and mother to three sons or, while caring for hospital patients and their families. Art heals, nurtures, soothes, inspires and at times challenges. Art in many forms connects us with others, brings a smile to our face or brings us to tears.

 I believe that art is universal in its intervention for healing the spirit and has the capacity to change the way we view the world and ourselves in it.  In the encaustic process, the wax goes through several transformations—from solid to soft and to solid again. The process itself reflects the possibility for interior transformation between the artist and viewer and I am reminded of the creative force or fire within that artists often experience when they work.

As a mixed media artist I discovered that encaustic brought dimension to my work where the layering of wax and pigment gives a luminous quality of depth and transparency. This wonderful medium creates endless artistic possibilities where hot wax, pigment and heat come together. Encaustic is a process that is elemental, natural, organic, messy, transparent and experimental often resulting in the unexpected. I am inspired by the many designs and textures of nature; black and white photography; objects that I see in my environment; travels taken; connections between everyday things; and words of those who have inspired me. I have come to appreciate and honor the work of honeybees, acknowledging that even the shape of the hexagon (honeycomb) is known for it’s structural properties of strength, efficiency and connectedness.

I also believe that writing poetry nurtures our spirit in the same way that making art does. Poetry has been a part of my life for over 30 years and so it was only natural that I would write Waiting Rooms of the Heart, Poems of a Healthcare Chaplain, paying tribute to the patients, families and staff that I cared for throughout my years as a clinical staff chaplain in acute care hospital settings and adult and pediatric hospice care.

I was born in San Diego and received my B.A from San Diego State University and M.A. from the University of San Diego.

I teach encaustic classes from my home studio and urban art retreat in Mission Hills, and for San Diego Art Institute Art Department