About the Artist

My heros are my mother and adoptive father who both followed one long career and then embraced a completely different career in the second half of their lives.   In high school I loved both science and art, winning awards in both.  But as I emerged from that lovely cocoon of youth, I knew that I must choose one or the other to pursue as a career.  This launched me into a 45 year career in higher education as a professor, biologist, plant ecologist, geographer and soil scientist.  I study nature to this day, and still find ways to mentor students.  With retirement and the pandemic coinciding,  I found myself yearning for those long past days of expressing myself through art.  Having recently purchased my dream home in a small town that I love, I began making Barn Quilts.  At first it was just for my own use.  I wanted to decorate my house with bright expressive explosions of color and vision.   So with my trusty skill saw, power drill and collection of paints I made my first Barn Quilt.   It was of a sunset that I enjoyed from my back patio one fall evening.   Thus began my continuing fascination with how I can express my love of nature and art through Barn Quilts.

Barn Quilts are traditionally large (8' x 8') geometric designs that one sees on barns and sheds in pockets across North America.  I chose to work with smaller quilts that would be perfect for a house or garage.  As designs popped into my head, I found that they fell into three general categories: abstract, nature, or symbolic.   So in the gallery you will see a vision of a rising moon over mountains and forest as well as geometric representations of nature and cultural symbols.  Each design is unique and original, celebrating both traditional barn quilt techniques and modern images.  I hope you enjoy viewing these works as much as I enjoyed making them.