Welcome To My Web Site

I have been painting since the early 80's, though mostly self taught. My first teacher taught me good basics. Although my time with her was short, she taught me well and I still follow her "rules" today. I painted on my own for more than ten years, isolated in the fact that I had no idea that the Society of Decorative Painters organization existed. I had huge holes in my painting education due to that fact and because I could only learn what the projects I chose could teach me. After a 6 year hiatus from painting from 1999 to 2005, I got on a computer and found a few painting grouplists. In a few posts I saw references to SDP. I researched and found an entirely new world of artists, classes, paints, surfaces and supplies. But best of all I found lifelong good friends on my lists and at SDP conventions. I became hungry for everything I could possibly learn. I studied many things from many artists, but it was all sort of twirling around in my brain and needed to be pulled together to get any benefits from it.

One day, I discovered the Traditions paint and education program. Martha Jansen talked with me extensively at the 2006 HOOT convention about their program and products. I didn't pursue it then, but 6 months later I was hungry again and ready. My entire focus in painting changed overnight. I went from being a "project" based to "education" based artist and I finally found a way to fill up all the huge holes in my education and skills. I am now actively teaching the Traditions program to other artists and have the privilege of helping them to improve their artistic lives.