I feel most at home in wilderness.  I find my greatest inspiration and my greatest solace when surrounded by the wonders of nature.  Though raised in the urban Washington D.C. area, from a young age I was strongly drawn toward learning about and experiencing the natural world.  As I grew older, I took trips away from the cities I lived in to spend as much time as possible immersed in wilderness.  I earned a B.S. in Biology in 1997, focusing on ecology, and worked in the field of environmental protection from 1998 through 2005.  I have fixed up and moved into an abandoned cabin in an idyllic spot in an Ozark oak-hickory forest along a small ravine leading to the Gasconade River, and I feel very fortunate to live in such a peaceful and beautiful natural setting.

Photography helps me connect more with my creative side, and also helps me express my reverence for nature.  I began in earnest in 2002 when I received a Nikon Cool Pix 990 digital camera as a gift from my Mom.  I started bringing the camera on my trips into the wilds, and quickly discovered the joy of being able to photographically preserve some of what so moves and inspires me, and to share it with others.  After a year of diverse wilderness outings, that digital camera fell overboard and drowned while I was kayaking a crystal clear Ozarks river near my home.   As a result of that loss, I began using an inherited 30 year old Contax traditional SLR 35mm film camera.  The change from digital to slide film greatly broadened my understanding of the art of photography.  Subsequently, another digital camera has entered my life, a Nikon Cool Pix 8800, with which I continue learning about and experiencing photographically more of the wonders of nature.

I enjoy photographing a wide range of subjects, including: reflections on water; diverse natural ecosystems and landscapes; nature's shapes, patterns and textures; various plants, animals, rock formations, and water features; and the way different types and levels of light illuminate scene or subject.  In 2003 I started showing my photographs and earned awards at the Missouri State Fair and at the Harlin Museum in West Plains, Missouri.  In 2004 I became a juried member of Missouri's artisans association, The Best of Missouri Hands.  Some of my work is on display in the bookstore A New Chapter on the town square in Mansfield, Missouri.  My photographs are available as 4.25" x 5.5" and 5.5" x 8.5" note cards.  Matted prints are also available, usually up to 16" x 20" as the outer dimensions of the mat.  Please contact me if you would like more information!