My Story
I grew up in Coral Gables, Florida, the youngest of five children. I had a wonderful childhood playing outdoors, surrounded by lush greenery and darting lizards beneath a brilliant blue sky. One of my favorite places was the Parrot Jungle, where I was captivated by the birds' vibrant colors and striking feathers. My love of nature and fascination with color developed during those early years.
I also spent part of my childhood in Ireland, while my father served as Ambassador during the Kennedy administration. The Irish landscape was a patchwork of glistening greens, dotted with cows, sheep and other animals I'd never seen in tropical Miami. Storybook castles and thatched cottages seemed to be everywhere. I read Irish folk tales about leprechauns and wholeheartedly believed in them!
These two very different environments shaped me as a visual artist. Even now when I illustrate books, I often pull inspiration from those vivid childhood memories.
I developed a love of language from my mother, a published poet. When I was little, she strung rhyming words together throughout the day for fun. My family also made up silly rhymes together at the dinner table. These early experiences taught me the sheer joy of playing with words.
I majored in art at Occidental College in Los Angeles. After graduating, I held a variety of jobs - art gallery manager, special events coordinator and public relations director - while continuing to paint. I also designed covers for notecard companies and freelanced as a textile designer for the apparel industry, designing fabric for clothing sold at Lord & Taylor and other stores.
Years later, my art career took an unexpected turn. While visiting the zoo with my young children, they were amazed to see a flamingo standing on one leg - sound asleep. This inspired my first picture book, Some Sleep Standing Up. Since then I've written and illustrated many more with my newest, Don't Eat the Cleaners!, published in 2025. My artwork has been featured on puzzles, calendars and other products and exhibited in showcases such as the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show.
I love expressing my passion for vibrant language, color and pattern in my picture books. And nature, the ultimate designer, is always my muse.
