I've divided information about myself into two sections: one is a resume which gives a brief history of my backround and experience, especially as a writer and illustrator. Then there's a more detailed biography.
Resume
General Backround
* Born in 1954 in Hartford CT, the youngest of 5 children
* Studied and lived in Copenhagen and Munich 1970 - 1981. Fluent in French and German
* Showing and breeding Silky Terriers since 1981. Have bred or owned 75 Champions
including World Ch. Tessier Jimmy Mack, World Ch. Tessier Puttin On the Ritz, Junior World Ch. Carwyn Tessier By Innovation and many nationally top ranked champions
* 2 wonderful children; Tyra, 29 and Jason, 26
Work Experience
* Founded and ran a private elemenatry school 1984 -1994
* Work as a pastoral counselor with a specialty in children 1994 -
* Had a regular column about children in a local community newspaper 1991 -1993
* Wrote article, "Silky Terrier Club of America's 'Specialty 2000' National Specialty" for Top Notch Toys August 2000
* Wrote article, "Emerging People: Ed Leach" for Converge Magazine February 2001
* Wrote article, "Emerging People: Mirta Michilli" for Converge Magazine August 2001
* Wrote and illustrated book "How To Turn Your Dog Into a Show-Off" published by Doral
Publishing, June 2002
* Produced original watercolor portraits for Group 1 winners Clearwater Kennel Club Jan
2005, 2006, 2007
* Bred over 70 Silky Terrier champions (1981 - 2008) including many Top Twenty dogs
* 2007 Maxwell Nominee for Dog Portraits
Preferred Mediums:
Watercolor, pen and ink, watercolor pencil
Biography
I as born in 1954, the youngest of 5. My mom assures me that both she and my dad were quite happy about my being a girl. This is a little hard to believe as I have 3 older sisters and only one brother. But I certainly didn't care one way or the other and they obviously got used to it in time. My father especially doted on me, calling me his "little rosebud".
When I was small, I hated naps. I would wait a decent interval and then pop up and spend the next hour or so quietly exploring the fascinating world of my sibling's bedrooms. This worked out quite satisfactorily for a long time until one day I decided to decorate my sister's wall with her nature stamps. High hooks were quickly screwed into everyone's doors and my days of adventure were over. I also earned a new nickname: "the little mucker". I guess curiousity has its price.
My mother took me to my first dog show when I was eight. This fascinated me and I immediately wanted to show our standard poodle. Mom explained the many reasons why this wasn't possible and I understood but there was a little voice in my head that said, "Some day I'm going to do that." Of course, being eight, the next week I was telling everyone that I wanted to be a jockey.
I always loved to draw and filled sketchbooks with an attempt at professionalism. Mom later told me that the family expected me to go to art school, but I took another path.
As a teenager, I became interested in Scientology. I liked the practical aspects of the religion, and Mr. Hubbard voiced many opinions I had always privately
my experience as a counselor, took some courses and opened up my own school. This was also when I began showing and breeding Silky Terriers.
Success did me in at the school. It got too big and I found myself sitting in the front office all day long doing paperwork. So I sold the school in 1994 and went back to my old profession of pastoral counselor, but this time with a specialty of working with children.
It started to occur to me that it would be fun to take up my drawing again, but with a twist -- I wanted to write and illustrate children's books. So I contacted a local editor named Susan Karnovsky and she worked me
over the coals until I had a "voice" in my writing and illustrating. The result was "How To Turn Your Dog Into a Show-Off".
Recently I have moved away from books -- at least for now. Last year I was a Maxwell Nominee for my dog portrait work.and this year I am concentrating on my Christmas and Fine Art cards.
And through it all I continue my work as a pastoral counselor, a sort of "super nanny", traveling all over the world to work with kids and their parents.
held. It just made sense to me. I went to Copenhagen and studied there for many years to become a pastoral counselor. I met my husband in Copenhagen and we started married life in Munich, Germany.
My daughter was born in Germany, a true "Munchener Kindl". Jason was born here in Clearwater. As the kids got older I realized that I wanted to teach them myself and so I drew on
