Photo by Don Reilly, DJR Imaging, Loveland, COAs a youth, I loved to draw - people, animals, and fashion illustrations. While attending college at Towson University in Maryland, I focused on art education, in addition to studying studio arts, and had a second major in Asian Studies. My favorite classes were print-making, two-dimensional design, ceramics, and photography. Graduate level classes were taken in architectural drafting and interior design at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

I had planned on becoming an art teacher, however, teaching jobs were scarce when I graduated. I changed course and spent several years managing Asian Art galleries in Maryland, then moved to the nonprofit sector. I managed museum stores and gift catalogs for The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and the Library of Congress stores in Washington, D.C. before working as a Merchandise Specialist with the Smithsonian Institution gift catalog. That position entailed everything from buying at trade shows to developing exclusive products to copy writing for the gift catalog to meeting with museum curators. I learned to think on my feet, do research, negotiate terms, and figure out which products would appeal to our customers.

These positions helped me learn about the importance of combining business skills with art skills. I’ve been described this way: "in a room of artists, the most  business-like person, and in a room of business people, the most artistic person.”

Artists without business acumen often struggle, becoming the proverbial “starving artists.” Learning how to work with customers, sell art and other products, manage a business, create a budget, handle marketing, and develop relationships has been key to my success in business. Artists need to think of themselves as running a business.

I want to share my experience and expertise with other artists, helping them become more successful. That’s why I teach classes and am available for individual consultations.