As an 8 year old, I remember entering the grounds. Behind a high stone wall along a road without a sidewalk, it seemed like we would need special permission to enter. 

Inside, I was a young art student. Carving linoleum, I made a print of an owl. I remember the balconies within a large room of the stone mansion. I remember waiting in the rain for my mother to pick me up and listening to "Stepping Out" by Joe Jackson.

Some things come full circle. Now I teach drawing classes in that same mansion, Alverthorpe Manor. I've been promoted from student to teacher at the Abington Art Center housed there. 

After teaching my morning class last week, I made this drawing of a side of the building I don't always visit, feeling grateful that Lessing and Edith Rosenwald gave their estate to the township for local cultural and recreational use.

Today I sat in the blazing late September sun. A white plastic chair and table provided by Elkins Perk Coffee Shop gave me this view of my local SEPTA train station, Elkins Park. 

Built nearly 120 years ago this historic gem now features a community space run by Elkins Central.  In this space, I've personally been to a yoga class, an art show, and an author's book tour event... and I taught an art class there so that a group of girl scouts could earn a badge. I hope to make it to a jazz concert there soon. If you ask me, Elkins Park rocks!

Bees have a small wing size to body ratio. In fact, a common myth based on this information states that bees should not be able to fly. The truth is... they need to work harder than most insects in order to fly... they are bees after all! Work is their thing! To compensate they flap their wings a shorter span (90 degrees instead of 165) and more times per second (about 240 versus 200).

I drew this big bottomed lady from a photo taken in my garden during the summer. I'm exploring images for a body of larger watercolor paintings and the bees are, yet again, my muse.

Children's book illustration has long been on my mind and I am so excited to be actively working on a project.  This work is so brilliantly challenging! I think I generated a cup full of crumbs from my eraser today.

 I am working on a book dummy and here is a drawing from it. The expression on this character cracks me up.  I identify with it on two levels. One, I have a 6 year old in my life who inspired this drawing's posture and glare. Two, I am sure I was rocking this look circa 1981.

Stay tuned. I hope that one day you will be in a bookstore saying that you saw the early sketches of a book that you are holding in your hand.