Preamble
A biography. Everyone has one. It's personal history. It chronicles the things you have accomplished big and small, things you have done based on your plans, and things you had to let go. You the reader do not need to know all of it-and I'll bet you don't want to know all of it. My career has had periods of "rest" with nothing remarkable to report. At one time I was a performing musician while at the same time my art career was moving forward. A professional illustrator and client once said, "Awards don't pay the rent Pam." And paying the rent through my art is what I have been doing. It does not mean I have not received recognition along the way. But it does mean that not every major accomplishment has been accounted with a news blip or a ribbon. Maybe it is a sign of age that I feel listing each event as somewhat embarrassing. Let me then just cut to the chase; I am an emerging mid-career artist and if I must keep track from now on out-let the record begin!

Timeline
In 1970 I attended Eastern Michigan University for one year as an art major following high school graduation in Trenton, MI. From my earliest recollections all I ever wanted to be was an artist and left college to become one. Memories of my grade school art teachers reminded me of how miserable some were when saddled with unruly students who thought art was a no-brainer recess. As a green 18-year-old freshman I could not understand what more math or English had to do with art (I got my comin' upin's on that and teaching later). I returned only for a handful of courses at Wayne State University in Detroit and later, Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.

I had moderate success using traditional Batik and sewing skills to market wearable art to small boutiques in the Midwest. I won awards at shows and had a small client base for custom orders. I apprenticed under a master sign painter and incorporated signage into my bag of tricks to paint cars, helmets, bows, motorcycles and murals.

In 1983 a gift of an airbrush began a new phase of my career. I opened a shop in Bonne Terre, Missouri and combined my expertise in dying techniques with the allure of airbrush on silks. I gave up playing music and instead worked weekends at the local racetrack airbrushing custom cars on shirts. I closed my shop and began decorating dinnerware and tile murals for Chanticleer Ceramics in Ironton, Missouri. I worked for stained glass artist Robert Harmon of Arcadia Valley, Missouri. I learned the art of painting with underglazes and channeling light through glass. I understood more about the type of clients that bought limited edition pottery and stained glass installations.

Current
It was during this time that my son asked me if I could be his art teacher. Apparently, he had a new art teacher and could not see why I could not do the job. With the encouragement of my family, I gave up my evenings to attend Southeast Missouri State University. By summer's end in 2001, while the ink was drying on my degree in art, I was setting up my classroom. I was my son's middle school art teacher and completed my teaching certificate while working on my yet-to-be-completed Master's Degree. I left teaching to find something closer to home. I have come full circle.