I have been an exhibiting artist since 1983, while I was still in college. Through the past 14 years I have pursued exhibiting my art through solo, group and juried exhibits. It has been hard, especially when funds were low and living conditions were tenuous. It is because I am a deeply committed person I have stuck to my pursuit, when most people in my circumstances would have abandoned art for more lucrative careers. I have received many honors as an artist including having my work featured in a 1990 calendar for the Loveland (Colorado) Museum and Gallery, serving as an exhibit juror for the 1995 Appleton (Wisconsin) Art Center juried show, as well as the typical first place/honorable mention awards. I have taken part in cooperative galleries, that have unfortunately met with demise due to dictatorial landlords who want "nice" businesses in their spaces instead. It is because of these experiences I feel that art and the private enterprise system do not work (unless you call selling mass quantities of prints by famous dead artists "art"). I also feel individual grants for artists is an even worse idea. Read my Ann-ifesto. I am very much in favor of more funds being given to community art centers and organizations so more people can take part and have opportunities to exhibit. I do not apologize for this very liberal and democratic sensibility; the other way is too much like feudalistic court royalty which leaves most of us "serfs" out in the cold.

My physical art is mixed metallic media. I use metal leaf and other reflective materials to create decadent, embellished textural paintings. No images, just lush surfaces. I've been working in a mosaic style lately, and find myself being influenced a lot by Islamic and Celtic ornamentality. I have some examples here, although one really has to see my pieces in person, as they are large and not meant to be seen on a small screen.

Getting online has taken a long time for me. I was introduced to the Macintosh when I found a job working for a major photocopying service which was trying out desktop publishing back in 1985. I immediately wanted my own Macintosh, but would have to wait until 1995--ten long years. Oh, it wasn't that I could necessarily afford it any more easily after waiting. It's just that I had finally realized I'll never save up any money for one anyway, so I might as well get it then and run up my credit cards. I was also starting to go freelance, as the air conditioned office I worked in was literally making me sick. In June of 1996 I got online, and in July I started building my own web pages. The site you're at now has only been in existence since August of 1996, and I believe it is an amazing feat, if I dare say so myself. Although I am an experienced Macintosher, I am also an HTML dummy. Instead of succumbing and buying a "For Dummies" book, I bought a WYSIWYG program to create my web pages instead. I recommend it for everyone.

My husband Stan is also an artist. We were in an art course together our first year in college. At the time I thought he was a little dweeb, and didn't give him much thought. But we kept showing up in each others' classes, and found out we had a lot in common, or at least were growing that way. We started going out in 1982, moved in together in 1983, got married in 1988, and we're still together. We have decided not to have kids. First of all, it's rather impossible for people in our unstable financial situation. And even if we had a lot of money, we'd probably spend so much time traveling (which is what I'd do if I had time and money), that we wouldn't have time either. We also feel the world is at its limit of resources for the human species. Even if we had a child we loved and cared for and were able to support ourselves, the resources that child is using is taking away from many other children in poorer countries. I think the whole notion of giving tax breaks to families with children is absurd. No one would consider giving tax breaks to families who want to have children but can't afford to. But once they have the kid, it's rebate time. Children should be thought of as a luxury, especially since they demand our precious resources. Just as everyone should spay and neuter their pets, people should emotionally spay and neuter their desire to continue to reproduce as they did in the days of yore, when large families were an asset. I'm not anti-sex, just anti-reproduction.

Speaking of pets, we have had many. I never got to have many pets as a kid since we moved around a lot. The goldfish I had at age six died within two weeks. My parents didn't know much about anything other than cats, but they wouldn't get me one until they had bought their own house, which was when I was a teenager. So I am making up for that now. I have three cats and two dogs, and they are what keeps me going when all else seems hopeless. Unlike children, I think everyone should have pets. I believe caring for animals can make people more gentler and loving towards humans.

Politics? I have none, other than how I feel about grants. The only time I voted for a major party presidential candidate was in 1992. Politics stinks. Politicians are bad enough, but when artists get political in their art, and think "it's all political," that's just really sick.

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