I have had some formal art training, but largely, I am self taught. Being a self-taught artist, I have learned through the process of trial and error (mostly error) how to take an photograph and turn it into an actual piece of artwork I would want to hang on my wall. I grew up in between Ventura, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and now reside in a fairly small town in the north eastern part of Oklahoma named Wagoner. 14 miles due North of Muskogee, Oklahoma. I have always liked to draw even as early as I can remember. Actually when I first began, I started off putting some of my artistic creations to work back in 1986 in the form of oil painting. My technique was wet on wet like the former and famous Bob Ross landscape paintings. I learned this technique through his self taught books and watching his programs on television every chance I got . I painted many landscape pictures which now hang on the walls of family and friend's homes. I presently started drawing portraits early this year in the form of pencil sketching. A Lot of pain went into learning this technique through trial and error on like how light effects the appearance of textures and how to keep my drawings clean and techniques like the basic strokes, blending, combining charcoal and graphite pencil and other unique tricks for creating extremely realistic looking artwork. This is a talent people are saying that was hidden within me. I never had tried to do this type of work before but according to family and friends they say I'm pretty darn good! I have had some formal art training back in the day when I attended college but never thought it would lead me here today. I have had many college courses in art, like drawing, basic design, pastels and oil painting. My inspiration has come from my husband Chuck and my children, Regina, Mark & Angela and other family members, and friends who have encouraged me to stay with my talent and to grow in it and for whom I am grateful.