A fully committed career person from the get-go, I spent 30 years in marketing and advertising, traveling the world and honing my appreciation for art and culture wherever I went. 2009 became a game-changer for me as my world of corporate America took a dive and I was pushed into a more artful direction for my "Act II". My passion has always been three-fold: animals, art and global cultures.  Now I follow those dreamy passions through my art, painting pet portraits, people I've met on my travels and anything else that strikes me! My animal portraits are my primary focus.  Dogs, cats, bunnies, birds or goats--they all inspire my emotional spirit to paint. Whether it is because of the innocence of the animal or their intense spirit, these creatures captivate an inner sense of honesty for me. My animals, any animals, are truly representative of living in the present without pretense. They are pure. They are honest. They are teachers for us all. I've been told that the way in which I paint the animals' eyes is particularly special - well, I suppose that makes sense as they are the path to the soul. My art is intended to reflect this passion I describe and to impart that same sense of awe to my viewers and customers. As I have often said: I aspire to be the type of person my dog thinks I am!

As one would expect, I have painted a dog's face on the mask not only because I have a passion for animals of all species, but more because I totally believe that dogs in particular have a soulful healing power for us humans that goes way beyond medicine. Our pets reach us at our deepest spiritual level and provide the kind of pristine love only they can give us. I pray that my mask will convey that deepest love we deserve.