Having relocated from central Ohio to New Mexico in 2000, I sought refuge both from an intense faculty position, as well as the cold, grey days of winter. New Mexico offered a place and lifestyle that would inspire and allow me to explore different parts of myself, still untapped, through different art media. Along the way, I’ve learned from classes in jewelry design, ceramics, fiber arts, and, more recently, painting and mixed media.

After 43 years of teaching classics and Latin, comparative literature, and feminist studies, I retired* in summer 2014. My academic career also included grants administration and coordinating higher education programs for underserved populations. In addition to scholarly and report writing, I co-authored a book: The Art of West Texas Women: A Celebration. This period was not only full of intellectual pursuits, but also geographical, cultural, and artistic explorations that I draw from in my creative expression.

In transitioning from an academic career to creative life—from “role to soul”–, from greener places to the desert, and in extending here the circle of kindred spirits with whom I share this journey, I find querencia, a place from which I draw strength0; where I am at home; the place where I continue to thrive and grow.

I offer workshops in my home studio on gel printing and collage, concertina books, visible mending, and more. Finally, I am a SoulCollage® Facilitator, meeting with small groups that practice intuitive collage-making for self-exploration, growth, and insight.

*I prefer the Spanish word jubilarse because it suggests, as it should, something celebratory.