“Inspired by Art in Nature!”
A native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, I attended the University of Pittsburgh to obtain both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Health-Related Professions with an emphasis in Education and was later certified as a Specialist in Blood Banking. After 28 years in the clinical laboratories at the Institute for Transfusion Medicine, my husband and I moved to Erie, PA where I spent 10 years designing software for a commercial blood bank software company based in Sacramento, CA. Upon retirement from a 38-year career in those highly regulated, structured fields of healthcare and software development, my goals were to find a way to give back to the community and to find a creative outlet. My goals were reached when I became a volunteer for a local charity, StringsforaCURE, which provides financial assistance to breast cancer patients. Then after purchasing my first digital camera in 2012, I began my creative journey in photography. Starting with a few classes at the Erie Art Museum and then participating in numerous local seminars and hands-on workshops across the country, photography quickly became a passion. My two pursuits, charitable and creative, intersect frequently since in addition to managing many of the operational aspects of the charity, I photograph all the events and create the graphic design for all marketing materials.
Initially, it was very important to me to develop my photography skills from a technical perspective. However, as my photography evolves my interpretation of a subject has become more artistic. In this wonderful digital age, photographers have been blessed with software tools that allow us to be photographers, painters and graphic designers. My photography ranges from nature and wildlife to abstract and graphic and I have fully embraced those tools to combine those artistic disciplines to create photographic art! And recently, oil painting has become a rewarding medium to add to my creative tool chest!
My memberships include the Erie Photography Club from 2013 to the present where I served as Competition/Projection Chair from 2014-2017 and the Presque Isle Artists Association (PIAA) from 2014 – present. I was accepted into the Photographic Arts Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania (PASNWPA) in 2014 where I currently serve as President and Exhibits and Marketing/Publicity chairs.
In 2019, it was an honor to receive the Diane Peyton-Majundar Trophy award for receiving 1st Place in the Digital Wildlife Division, along with 1st Place Color Print Division and honor awards in the Color Print Division, Digital Nature and Digital Pictorial Divisions as well as the Golden Horseshoe Competition
In 2018, my photographic submissions were awarded second place in the digital Wildlife Division and third place in the digital Pictorial Division along with multiple honor awards in the Digital Pictorial and Digital Nature Salons at the Niagara Frontier Camera Clubs (NFRCC) Can-Am Photo Expo. In 2016 my images were awarded second and third places in the Color Print Division of the Niagara Frontier Camera Clubs (NFRCC) Can-Am Photo Expo along with Honor Awards in the Digital Pictorial Division, the Digital Nature Division and the Digital Wildlife Division. My images have also received Honor Awards in the McKellar, Golden Horseshoe and OCCC-NFRCC competitions. In the 2016 Grand Finale Competition for the Erie Photography Club Competition my images were awarded both first and second place as well as other recognition in regular monthly photography club competitions since 2013.
Over 40 pieces of my framed artwork have been selected for display in the corporate offices of Erie Insurance, UPMC Hamot Hospital, Erie Federal Credit Union, Marquette Bank and U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pfeffer-Hilling Insurance Agency, and Eriez Magnetics in Erie, Pennsylvania.
My photographic artwork has been featured in three solo exhibits, the first of which was a series of 24 colorful and abstract Oil and Water Macro images at the Glass Growers Gallery in Erie, PA in February 2015. The second solo exhibit was by invitation from the Erie Insurance Company at their corporate gallery, called ‘galerie’, from March through April 2016 with another solo exhibit planned for 2019. The third exhibit, " A Creative Journey," ,” featured my photography and paintings at Meadville Fine Arts from December 3, 2019 through January 31, 2020.
My work has been accepted into the following juried exhibits: Women Artists Exhibits at Schuster Gallery, Gannon University, Erie, PA, in 2020 and 2023, PASNWPA Member Exhibit, The Art of Water, at Gallery 104, Edinboro, PA, Asbury Woods " Inspired by Nature Exhibit" at Asbury Woods, Erie PA, “October Evenings” at the Heeschen Gallery of the Meadville Council on the Arts, Meadville, PA (October 12 - November 10, 2018), 95th Annual Spring Show at the Erie Art Museum, April 22 – July 1, 2018, “Water” Exhibit at Kelly Run Gallery and Framing, Cambridge Springs, PA (April 22 – June 2017); 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 3th and 2023 Annual Art Shows at the Gertrude Barber National Institute, Erie, PA; “Cabin Fever” Exhibit at the Campbell Pottery Stonewall Gallery, Cambridge Springs, PA (March 24 – April 2017); Gallery 96 - “The Winning Images”, Pittsford, NY 14534 (August – October 2016); Juried Lily Exhibit at Stonewall Gallery at Campbell’s Pottery Store, Cambridge Springs, PA (July – August, 2015); Joseph M. Plavcan Panorama Juried Exhibit (December 2014), Schuster Gallery, Erie PA (November 2014 – February 2015) and Friends of Mercyhurst Art Show, Erie PA (November 2014 – March 2015).
Sharing my knowledge and techniques with others and teaching them how to create visually stimulating and creative images has also become an important aspect of my photography career. I have given presentations to the Photographic Arts Society of Northwestern PA, Erie, PA, Erie Photography Club in Erie, PA, and numerous camera clubs in the Buffalo area, (Twin Cities Camera Club in Tonawanda, NY, Batavia Camera Club in Batavia, NY, Amherst Camera Club in Amherst, NY, and Southtowns Camera Club, Hamburg, NY), as well as the Photographic Section of the Academy of Science and Art in Pittsburgh, PA. I have regularly taught Basic Photography and Basic Photoshop workshops to small groups as well as an advanced level full day workshop on post-processing techniques.
My long-term goal is to continue to grow and evolve in my pursuit of this creative outlet turned passion and to continue to share this passion while teaching others! Art is truly all around us and nature provides continual inspiration for me as I travel both locally and in faraway places with camera in hand.
I am “Inspired by Art in Nature.”
Galleries
My framed photos, prints and note cards are displayed in several of the local galleries, including:
24 S. Center St. Corry, PA 16407
Presque Isle Gallery & Gift at Tom Ridge Environmental Center
301 Peninsula Dr | Erie, PA 16505
10 E 5th St, Erie | PA 16501
12391 E Main Rd | North East, PA 16428
100 Blasco St, Erie, PA 16507
10599 W Main St, Ripley, NY 14775
Three of my images were selected by Sensory Winery for labels for their wine.
Memberships
My memberships include:
Photographic Arts Society of Northwest Pennsylvania (PASNWPA)
Presque Isle Artists Association
Please look for me on these social media sites:
My work is also displayed on Fine Art America website:
Thank you for visiting my website! Hopefully, you will enjoy viewing the images as much as I enjoyed taking them!
I am Inspired by Art in Nature!