Grew up on a farm in North Dakota where I was in the largest eight grade class with a total of 14 students. Remembering my cousins having a book on, “How to draw faces,” when I was about thirteen and my brother and cousins said, “You could never do that.” They refused to let me see the book. Art and Karate helped me to focus with my ADD and my mediocre grades went up to A’s and B’s. My first art class was in my second year of college. I took the class because it was something I was interested in trying and previously felt denied. Graduated with majors in Business and Art. In addition to my Senior Fine Art exhibit in 1973 designed the Heritage Park, for the Dickinson ND, Chamber of Commerce.
Married in 1973. High School teacher for a year. We decided to go to NYC. I applied to Pratt Institute and was accepted in the master’s program on a probationary status. My advisor asked me to enter a national design contest and I won first place over all the colleges and private art schools in the U.S... This helped financially as Pratt Institute gave me a fellowship program from the 1975 Package Design Council, Fellowship Award and the 1976 Package Design Council, Fellowship Award. I also received an award for a print entered in an open contest and won the President’s Choice Award. It is in Pratt Institute’s permanent collection. My thesis project created in 1976/1977 was the concept of the Internet with technology at that time. Six years before the Internet was created with computers.
1977 College Design Professor at Brooklyn University
Career in design studios and corporations: 1977-1990 Crown/Siegal Associates; Package designer for Yves Saint Laurent, Bottle design purchased and displayed in his private collection; Menon, Charivari, Revlon; 1981 Creativity Show Award, Best Packaging Design- Liz Claiborne, Created Logo as the package Designer, - College of Medicine and Dentistry; Presentation designer, Montgomery Ward; Package Designer, Logo and department logo designer for their clothing line, 1981 Designed and developed packaging that received the Designers Choice Award. Received Cleo Award for package design.
Promedius Art; Seagram’s products, Corporate Identity, Canada Dry, end cap display, TV ads. Taylor Wines; - Revlon, Inc.; Studio Manager, All cosmetic packaging and display, Cosmair Inc.; Graphics Coordinator; Chaps-Ralph Lauren, Vanderbilt, Loreal, Gloria Vanderbilt, etc. Freelance:Pepsi, Designed Merit cigarette package, Logo’s for independent businesses. Festival of Arts, Honorable Mention.
1991-2020 Freelance: Des Moines Register, logo design for local appliance and insurance company. Wrote and produced two plays in Des Moines Iowa. Designed playbills, posters, and advertising. Designed and made costumes.
Des Moines Art Center Anime Festival created animation film, costumes, and play.
Art in gallery at Public Library, and other venues.
Fight coordinator for independent movie. Performed in three movies, wrote, and designed three plays. Performed a martial art scene in the opera, Turandot. Owned and operated video production company. Coordinated 5 to 7 demonstrations and performances a year for colleges, politicians, organizations, sports events, Schools, and dance schools for 30 years. Certified Kung Fu and Tai Chi Master. Experienced and qualified in many martial arts weapons. Daughter and I started the Flying Eagles Acro balance Team. I have been featured in newspaper, magazine, and TV. Inducted in USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Peoples Republic of China invited our martial arts school to China. We toured China, studied with Shaolin Monks at Dung Fung, Shaolin Temple. Shaolin Grandmaster said we were the only school from the United States that he could teach two forms to in the time allotted because their forms were similar to our traditional Kung Fu. Saw many sites, including performing arts in Shang Hai.
Recently moved to Idaho Falls to be near family and enjoy meeting all the artist and the wonderful art programs available. Paintings displayed in The Art Museum and local galleries. Working in oil paintings, watercolor, figure drawing, ink, and air brush. Currently recreating graphics from my thesis to show Art in Motion. The foundation and process of creative design through visual design, animation, sculptures, and lighting. Member of the IWS, Idaho Watercolor Society, Bonneville Art Association and The Art Museum.