I’ve never considered myself a “creative,” though creativity has walked along the edges of my life for a long time.  Being married to a musician, having a very creative daughter, and living in this amazingly creative town for most of my adult life, I’ve developed my own creative spirit, and recently have merged my professional life with the culture of Denton to imagine The Art Room.

I came to Denton almost 40 years ago to pursue a graduate degree in Psychology from the University of North Texas. I graduated from UNT with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 1986 and have had a private practice since 1988 to the present, practicing in Denton for the past 15 years. I love the spirit of Denton and working here has been an incredible blessing for me.

I began to nurture my own creative energy by taking adult education classes in drawing, and later more formal training at Texas Woman’s University. Engaging in any form of creativity has been so emotionally beneficial in my own life that I wanted to give back to my community and to those who could benefit from creating in a safe and supportive environment—thus The Art Room was born in January, 2019.

There is just something about Denton…

When I moved here for college nearly 20 years ago, I didn’t imagine that Denton would become my permanent home. But it wasn’t long before the town’s spirit of community and dedication to the arts quickly won me over, and I’ve been here ever since.

I am so excited to be part of The Art Room, where in my own small way I can give back to this community that’s given so much to me.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor and mental health provider my mission is to help The Art Room reach its intended audience, foster the therapeutic experience of the participants, and do whatever I can to realize the organization’s vision.  Having worked at Denton County MHMR for the past five years, I’ve experienced firsthand the power of therapeutic programs for both the participants and the organizers, and I believe that The Art Room will be a great addition to our collective community spirit.

I've known I wanted to be an accountant since middle school. I was lucky enough to be able to focus my academic journey on making that a reality. I earned a B.S. in accounting from Virginia Tech and a Masters of Accountancy from William & Mary before working in public accounting. I worked in corporate tax and spent a fair amount of time working with nonprofit organizations. I was a manager in a high net worth individual tax practice (including private foundations) before returning to Blacksburg to earn my Ph.D. in accounting. I now have the most rewarding job in accounting – teaching others! I'm currently an assistant professor at Texas Woman's University.

I'm a Virginia native and spent most of my life in various parts of the Commonwealth. I previously lived in Rockwall, TX before moving to Poughkeepsie, NY. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to move back to Texas and have enjoyed getting to know Denton. It's been challenging since the move happened during the height of the pandemic.

While I am not great with a paintbrush, I can make some masterpieces on cake! I also spent most of my youth involved in music (and my husband has a degree in music composition). I also spent a decade as a volunteer EMT/medic. I love helping people and volunteering, so I am excited to work with The Art Room and appreciate the opportunity to work with such creative people.

Since my early teen years, I have had a lifelong dream to be a “starving artist, not hungry.” Currently, I am an occupational therapist by profession and ideology, and I am extremely grateful to be teaching for a living while supporting art by volunteering. Blessed by a stellar family of origin and devoted fan of my own offspring, I share the joy of friendship with these and many more individuals who extend across generations and geography. 

 I am fortunate to serve as the director of the School of Occupational Therapy at Texas Woman’s University.  A lifelong fascination with art and craft led to an earlier career as an industrial arts teacher. Challenges in the education of inner city youth then led me to the field of occupational therapy where my belief in art and craft as therapeutic tools evolved and remains strong to this day.

I consider it an honor and a thrill to be associated with The Art Room in Denton. This organization attracts an amazing group of participants and volunteers who so willingly share their creative spirits and friendship to create and maintain a safe space for art to bloom. The words of John Updike, writer, art and literary critic, reflect my own feelings about The Art Room, “What art offers is space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.”

I started my career as an artist in Philadelphia, graduating from Tyler School of art with a BFA in printmaking. From there I entered the field of Art Therapy as an Art Therapist at Newtown State Hospital in Connecticut. Here in Denton, I completed my Master of Occupational Therapy degree at TWU in 1980. I have helped people as an art therapist in mental health and other settings, working with both individuals and groups.

I feel that Art is the great communicator—not only to yourself, but also to others. My own art work is my therapy, which gives me comfort and release from stress. I'm looking forward to rekindling my creative self and helping others find their creative spark with my involvement in The Art Room.

One of the gentle ironies of my professional career is how much of it was spent directing non-profit organizations that featured visual arts galleries and spaces, given that my academic and artistic training is entirely based on music performance and scholarship. Call it serendipity.

In 1987, my wife, Delta, our two young children, and I came to Denton where I had been invited to direct the Greater Denton Arts Council, which I did for 15 years. Subsequently, I served as Coordinator for the Arts at Texas Woman’s University and then, until my retirement in 2019, as Director of the UNT Institute for the Advancement of the Arts and UNT on the Square.

Through my four decades as an arts administrator and teacher, I have been afforded a front-row seat from which to witness and experience the passions and virtues that compel people to create, to support, and to serve. These forces are evident among the participants, volunteers, and donors who have in such a short time given robust life to The Art Room. This organization embodies what can be realized when we enable creativity and self-expression: giving life to a thought or feeling, helping absorb a loss, making a good day even better, or coaxing forth some reluctant part of our inner self.

Thank you to each of you who supports The Art Room. As a new board member I hope to join you in enabling the continued growth and value of this service-driven organization.

On a personal note- if you ask me about our four grandchildren, be prepared to view 600 phone pics. You’ve been warned.

In 2010, I moved to Denton to attend college at the University of North Texas and have never looked back (except for a small stint in Grapevine, but we will ignore that). I received my BFA in Visual Arts Studies (Art Education) in 2014 and worked as a Middle School Art and Media teacher for 6 years. Since then, I have used my time outside of teaching to build my own backyard garden/farm with my husband, Kyle. We now have 4 chickens along with my other pets: Bonnie (dog), Clementine (cat), and Pudge (cat). I currently work at the Denton Public Library and now The Art Room! My hopes for the future are to get my masters and become an Art Therapist or a librarian.

My teaching philosophy has always been to use art education and art making to cultivate creative problem solving, improve self-confidence, nourish healing, and foster empathy by helping to see other’s perspectives through art. I will continue this through the programming I develop for The Art Room.

As an artist, I create artworks using a variety of media, including watercolor, printmaking, stone carving, and more. I deeply believe in lifelong learning and am always craving to learn new processes to create all forms of art. I hope to utilize my knowledge to create engaging and informative classes for The Art Room members.

I have always loved creating and telling stories to others since I was young. Known to light up any room, I find compassion in helping people. As a musician and lover of the creative arts, I feel like The Art Room is the perfect place for me to use my background in strategic communications to spread awareness on art being a healing process.