The Artist

I first started drawing horses at the age of four in my home town of Dunkirk, N.Y.  I had never owned a horse during my childhood.  I spent many hours at the county fairgrounds hand grazing Standardbreds or drawing the horses that were stabled there.

My grandfather gave me some oil paints and made canvases out of cardboard and cheesecloth soaked in a plaster-like solution.

In my adult life, I did many oil and pastel portraits of horses on Long Island, raised four children, kept many pets and several horses.  When my husband, a race track veterinarian needed another hand, I would help him on farm calls with children in tow!

Being self taught, I learned my craft by trial and error.  My first paintings were done on cardboard, Masonite, wood, slate, chicken or ostrich eggs, leather tooling, wood carving, painting and repairing carousel horses and working for a Fine Art Conservation Company have all added to my learning experience.  I eventually learned to work in Plasticine Clay and had my limited edition sculptures cast at a nearby foundry so I could travel there and do my own wax chasing.  I sculpt all breeds of horses and disciplines.

After moving to Newton, N.J. in 1980, I made sculpting my profession.  Besides my own limited editions, I do special commissions and trophies.  I, also, freelance for companies that cast the original piece and market it themselves.  In the 1990's, I started using Super Sculpey which is a polymer clay material that I can bake so it's easier to ship.

Whenever I have a new piece to do, I research the breed and the history.  I am currently working on a Troika that will have three horses and Borzoi Hounds in the sleigh.  To research this piece, I visited a carriage museum and took pictures of a real Russian Troika harness.  It is very important that you not only get the conformation for the breed correct, but also have all of your tack correct!  Again, more constant learning!

Besides my own work, I've done trophies for Fair Hill International, Gladstone Driving, Festival of Champions, memorials, The Franklin Mint, Brielle Gallery, Austin Productions, Stallions USA, All Things Equine, Bow River Jewelry and Oklahoma Casting.  These works are cast in bronze, resin or porcelain.  I have shown my work at many horse shows, art exhibits and galleries.  Today, I spend my time doing freelance work from home.

I still have my horse on my own property that is surrounded by state land and trails.  I can watch my horse from my work table.