Art has been a part of my life from my earliest memories. As a child, it seemed to be the one thing I was good at, so I spent a lot of time with it, gradually improving. I am mostly self-taught although I did take

a few oil painting lessons as well as every art class offered at my high school! lol. I was fortunate enough to sell my first oil painting at the age of 15 and shortly after that sold my first ceramic sculpture. Since then I have turned my hand to many artistic endeavors such as murals, stained glass, polymer clay sculpture and even gourd art. I also enjoy sewing and a wide variety of crafts.

When I discovered artist bears, I realized I had found a niche in which I could integrate elements of all the hobbies I love -- beading, embroidery, sculpture, and sewing to name a just few. But that wasn't the main attraction for me. Oh no! I truly love creating 3-dimensional art - much more so than drawing or painting. Creating a little creature with its own character and personality, watching as the face comes 'alive'... ah, that is a real joy for me. Add to that the simple warm fuzziness of teddy bears and it's all just plain fun.

When designing my little friends, I draw inspiration from many sources: nature, fairy tales and my fascination with things steeped in the mysteries of a time gone by... these are just a few. Most anything can cause ideas to blossom in my fertile imagination. I haven't been called a daydreamer all my life for no reason! lol!

No matter the inspiration, my art comes from my heart and is created in a spirit of love, fun and whimsy. Sometimes my bears and other creatures turn out just as I envisioned them and sometimes they take their own path to become something quite different (and usually even better) than I imagined. Either way, I put my best into everything I create. I continually strive for excellence and to improve my skills because, while I may be having fun, I take quality very seriously.

I hope you enjoy my furry pals as much as I enjoy bringing them into being and thanks for spending a little time in my world. Come back anytime!