One of my vivid early memories involved a fashion moment, a great teacher and several hours of stolen freedom with a lot of paper and paint. With the audacity only a kindergartener can possess, my five year old sister took me (newly turned four) off to kindergarten with her.  My parents were consumed by the demands of a newborn and trusted us to the care of an elderly and unquestioning Irish woman who obliviously waved us off with a smile.

My sister not only dictated the day’s agenda but also my hairstyle (she had recently given me a cut), and the unique outfit I would wear for my entry into kindergarten society. Thanks to Mrs. Kelly, the understanding teacher who embraced my unexpected presence, I had hours of relatively unsupervised access to the rich treasure  of kindergarten classroom art supplies. That morning may have sowed the seeds of my lifelong love of art, independence and fashion.

Now, I enjoy painting in the countryside and along the shoreline of Connecticut. I’m fortunate to have the loose supervision and guidance of truly exceptional local artists who are also inspiring teachers.