I find tremendous pleasure and inspiration as an artist sitting in my studio over looking my courtyard garden with my dog, Zumi. I am surrounded by tools, supplies and beautiful found objects that took more than 30 years to accumulate and for which I am truly thankful. I have kilns, paints, easels, canvas, gemstones, beads and printers along with years of work that stir memories of past adventures all around me. The kind of art I like to create are one of a kind pieces all made with traditional and unique techniques I've developed over the years. I hope when you see my jewelry and paintings, my love for St. Lucia shines through and you feel some kind of joy like I feel living in paradise. I hope you find inspiration that you will treasure for a long time to come.

 

My husband, Mell, (he does the cooking) and I have been permanent residents in St. Lucia since 1992. I am grateful to live full time in a paradise that most people will only be able to visit for a short while. I hope my art work fills either your desire to experience St. Lucia or your yearning to remember that great time you had on your visit.

 

My grandmother was St. Lucian. My father was born in the Bronx. I was born and raised in Buffalo NY. When my father retired to St. Lucia, my husband I went down to visit, and eventually stayed.

 

On my first visit to St. Lucia, it started raining while my husband and I were walking around in downtown Castries. We ducked under a tree for shelter. I looked up and recognized the leaves…..a ficus tree. Now I’m familiar with focus trees as a potted house plants….they get about 5 feet tall…they shiver and drop all their leaves at the mere hint of a cool breeze….But this ficus tree was over 40 feet tall….it’s spreading branches and leaves kept the rain away completely.  I was in awe.  Nature here is awe inspiring and the tropical foliage makes it way into my art quite often.

 

My BA from the State University of Buffalo Teacher’s College covered all art genres, although I developed an affinity for painting, and jewelry making. Since my retirement from teaching, I paint mostly in oil on canvas. When I teach private lessons, my students use acrylics. I live in a colorful part of the world, so color plays an important part in my work. In my jewelry making and teaching, enamels and gemstones add to the sheen of the silver. I welcomed the development of digital painting and pigment ink printers and it has become an additional medium,  allowing me to paint digitally and print my tropical scenes on canvas or paper. 

 

My almost thirty, awe stuck years in St. Lucia has resulted in many impressions of the people and places and sunsets in St. Lucia….enjoy....come visit my studio.