I proudly possess Jane-of-All-Trades credentials.

I graduated with an honors degree in English Writing and Art from Westminster College and a Commercial Art & Illustration degree from Pace University. I wrote and illustrated for both institutions' literary magazines and illustrated the cover for a book of poetry, No Time to Hurry, by Westminster professor, Nancy Esther James.

I paid my dues early on designing telephone directory ads at The Guide by day and "putting to bed" a local newspaper (The Patent Trader) by night. I then went on to broaden and hone my talents in an expansive and varied career.

I worked as a book designer for a children's publisher, Paperwing Press, and computer gamer, Angelsoft-before the name became synonymous with toilet tissue! I then became art director for children's book author, Mercer Mayer, (who also taught me valued watercolor techniques and for whom I also painted special projects). I supervised his four publishing companies (Mercer Mayer Productions, Mercer Mayer Ltd., Green Frog Publishers, and Rainbird Productions), and many merchandising projects. I handled all his licensed characters and worked with top children's publishers such as Golden Books, Dial, Macmillan, and Troll. I wrote and designed for other children's publishers (Reader's Digest Young Families, and Random House), specializing in intricate flap and die-cut formats and unique activity-related story-telling. I was a one-woman art department for a regional magazine, Business Digest, and an ad agency (TMS, now Cierant) team player. I worked for Really Good Stuff®, a creative teaching products catalog, dreaming up, brainstorming and then producing hundreds of innovative products and activities while also producing-and copywriting for-more than ten catalogs a year. I took a turn as the whip-cracking "boss lady" of a direct marketing services promotions team at List Services Corporation, working on trade show materials, business presentations and both general and specialty advertising projects for numerous clients, among them: Scholastic; Harriet Carter; Columbia House; Publishers Clearing House; Gevalia; TELEBrands; Belvoir Media Group, LLC; University Health Publications; Mayo Clinic; All American Crafts Publications; BASS, Links, Golfweek, Body & Soul and Archaeology magazines. I signed on for a time with an art rep (SI International) and worked behind the scenes digitally inking and painting books for licensed characters.

In between it all, I free-lanced on all sorts of fun assignments (a mere sampling here): logos (Capital Finance Solutions, Am-Lam Contracting Inc., Flex-Air Associates Inc., Nimbus-a rock band); brochures (Club at River Oaks, Financial Forensics LLC.); illustrations for publishing (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Just Us Books, Longman Inc., Addison Wesley, IBM, Pace University, Dawn Valley Press, Bank Street Lab); and products (Conair, Gestetner, Martha Manion Jewelry Designs, and Hardware Designers); billboard designs (Club at River Oaks); back-stage passes, touring logo and jewel case art (for band, Talking To Walls); package design (golf-related patent design); ads; newsletters (Sherman Historical Society, and Brewster Chamber of Commerce); magazine and book "mock-ups"; and fine art painting.

I have my own little creative office now - done Feng Shui for optimal productivity, of course - where I combine all the above noted skills on a variety of projects. Most recently, a children's book "Slippery Soap!" with Carol Paterno (co-author/illustrator, we're at work on another); "Ned Anderson" biography (author/book designer) and "Sentinel Houses & Barns" (book designer/co-editor) for a Connecticut historical society; "America in Twilight" (book design/cover illustration); "Time Transporters" cover illustration; and book design for an equine center, memoir and family history - all worked in around many regular graphics projects for clients, including: North Salem Open Land Foundation, Village of Brewster Film Festival, Sherman Chamber Ensemble, Southeast Museum, Sherman Historical Society, Prismacolor Journeys, Daffodil Press, Forensics4Real, McAleer's Pub, and Kiwi Country Day Camp.

I find the most fulfillment, however, working with people on their personal creative projects. Seeing such close-to-the-heart dreams realized is the best part of my business.