St. Mary's County, Maryland, has been my home for more than 40 years. I love the water: the Potomac, the Wicomico, the salt marshes, the swamps, and all the little tributaries that feed the rivers to the Chesapeake Bay. I love the farmlands. Life in Southern Maryland is exciting and the lands, animals, and people provide much of the inspiration for my work. My greatest joy is capturing the spirit of the local habitat and transferring that feeling to canvas, paper, or wood.

I began, as I expect all artists do, with painting and drawing. My skills developed as I experimented with oils, acrylics, watercolors, graphite, pastels, and charcoal. Then my Uncle Buck introduced me to woodcarving. With my first duck, I was able to meld my love of pencil drawing, painting, into a brand new medium. I was hooked!

After many wildlife-carving classes with Roselyn Daisey, a master carver, and much coaching by the fine carvers of the Southern Maryland Wood Carvers guild, I have developed my own technique and expanded my repertoire. Since that first duck I've gone on to other birds, flowers, small mammals, and even a water faucet!

From woodcarving to wood burning (pyrography) was a natural step. Now a slab of wood becomes a canvas where I can create a textured drawing and highlight it with an acrylic stain. One technique feeds another and my excitement and creative juices continue to grow. There are no limits, only new adventures.

Currently, my work is being shown in the Heron's Way Gallery located in The Maryland Antique Center in Leonardtown, MD., and in Art Works @ 7th in Northbeach, MD. The Heron's Way Gallery showcases a collection of artwork by myself, Carol Wathen, Eileen Baca and Mary Ida Rolape.