As far as art goes, I have been a commercial artist and designer for most of my working life. But my true love was always riding and showing and training horses. I “discovered” oil pastels about 2 years ago and was “hooked” right away and have worked with them since then. I am mostly self-taught as far as painting goes and these paintings are the first that I have done. I have found it gratifying to be able to freeze these split seconds in time just the way I see them when I am teaching my riding students – with no background “noise” and all the focus on detail.

In 2008 I was fortunate enough to have some of my works shown in juried art shows around the country. My painting - "The View" took first place in the New Jersey Equine Artists Association Annual Juried show which was a great thrill! "The Lead Pair" was voted into first place in the American Academy of Equine Art 2009 calendar contest for May, and was placed 5th in a division of the "Ex Arte Equinus" international equine art show sponsored by Art Horse magazine! "In Full Swing" and "Two Horsepower" were shown in the juried "Pet Fancy" show here in NC this fall, too and I feel very, very fortunate to be getting such a great start in my oil pastel painting career! I look forward to continuing to learn more and more about just what oil pastels can DO!

2008
June 2008 American Academy of Equine Art 2009 calendar contest
The Lead Pair - top ten finalist for April contest (voted #1)
Circle Left – Thirty Meters - top ten finalist for April contest (voted #4)
July 2008 Oil Pastel Society Member List page
The Lead Pair – featured artwork
Juried Exhibitions
2008 The Art of The Horse New Jersey Equine Artists’ Association The Somerset Art Association, Bedminster, NJ
a. Circle Left – Thirty Meters
b. The Lead Pair
c. The View - Grand Prize award
2008 Oil Pastel Society Show Online Members Only Juried Show
a. The View
b. In Full Swing
2008 Pet Fancy Island Ford Art Gallery, Statesville, NC
a. In Full Swing
b. Two Horsepower

2008 Ex Arte Equinus – The Lead Pair – 5th place – Drawing Division
Included in the Ex Arte Equinus book, a printed and bound version of the juried gallery show.

2009
First place award – cover art contest – Horses in Art Magazine – In Full Swing