More than thirty-five years as a professional artist—beginning as a studio potter in 1980—earned her a place in the community of Pacific Northwest artists, from whom she gained instruction and inspiration. Twenty-five years as a professor and art instructor—at Heritage University, Yakima Valley Community College, and Central Washington University—exposed her to the creative energies and motivations of her students and exercised her critical eye for composition and technique. Her early education in Anthropology—earning a BA from the University of Washington in 1988—added to her understanding of indigenous Northwest peoples and opened her eyes to the sublime nature of symbol and form in human culture.