I have always been drawn to the arts. From the time books were first introduced to me as a young child the magic of words and illustrations were a siren call to explore the unknown that held endless possibilities for delight.

By the sixth grade, I was 'helping' friends improve their drawings of horses; another obsession of mine. When I graduated high school, I was named as the class artist. While in college, I discovered how intimidated I was by my classmates. Instead of a degree in Fine Arts I elected to pursue a BS degree in Graphic Design with a minor in Journalism. I never worked in either field. A series of random jobs jobs led to one in the Social Security Administration as a legal clerk.

Still, I wrote poems and painted canvases, floors, and walls just because something in me was happier when I was painting. A few years before I retired I realized I just needed to be myself and that I didn't have to be 'great'.

As it turned out I was holding myself back from my God given dreams and from my own internal peace. Today I am fully alive and learning daily, and I know I am an artist. I also know that the giver of dreams would not have given me this desire if I was unable achieve it. My hope is that I may encourage others to live the life they love.