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| I was born at the end of the world (as my husband so aptly puts it) in Northern Ontario, Canada, where the winters are frigid and the Northern Lights are awe inspiring...so for the better part of my young life I had God's color palet to enjoy.
In that part of the world at that time, arts and crafts and snow were some of the major entertainment in winter and lakes, berry picking and arts and crafts was the summer fare. I did not see a TV until I was 16 yrs old and didn't miss it then and don't miss it now. I graduated High School and went into the RCAF for three years...then got my visa for the USA...boarded the bus and arrived in San Diego...moved to the LA area and took up my usual crafts and found oil painting and Brazilian Embroidery...had loads of fun with that for several years and one day saw some enamel pieces by Suzanne Kustner in Monrovia in the mid 80's...I was hooked...line and sinker. I took out and read all the enameling books at the Brand Library in Glendale and studied with Suzanne Kustner, Mary Sharp and Gim Fong as well as classes given by Marjorie Sawyer, Marion Brown and Sylvia Falkove. The shock came when I decided I loved the Cloisonne technique and needed to "set" the jewelry pieces..so learning metalsmithing was a must..I went into it reluctantly and when I found classes with Bounyou Paphatsarang I was set. The organizations to which I belong; Metal Arts Society of Southern California, Enamelguild:West and the Bead Society of Orange County and Los Angeles provide ongoing classes, information and networking. I find much pleasure in the metalwork and the enameling which continues to be challenging and fulfilling. |