I have always had a passion for picture books. As a teen, I collected vintage children's books and picture books still line my bookshelves today. I always dreamed that I would one day become a picture book illustrator. I spent three years as a painting major before switching my major and getting my BFA in graphic design.
This change has served me well and, now, as Marketing Manager for Mundelein Park & Recreation District, I not only have a solid understanding of the software needed to publish a book but also of how quickly generate creative ideas under tight deadlines. I have created art my whole life. Over the last 18 years, I sculpted whimsical characters. Now I am returning to the paintbrush, albeit a digital brush, to realize my goals of publishing a picture book. I was inspired to write Trouble Brewing for Thomas after creating a funny sculpture I made in 2014. I have been married for 31 years and have two children and two dogs. My family has supported and encouraged all of my creative endeavors over the years and even help every year at a local art festival, Mundelein Arts Festival, I started in 2011. This show raises scholarship money for local high school students, and I consider it my biggest give-back to the arts in our community. |