I was born in Long Beach and grew up in Downey, California where I was encouraged in art by a friend of my mothers. I started drawing pastel portraits at age 10. Throughout school I took art classes, having my first one man show in high school. I went to Long Beach State College, California as an Art major. During the same time period, I attended Cerritos College as a pre-med and Art major. I then went to the University of Southern California and received a B.S. degree in Dental Hygiene.

After getting married and having two children, I still painted part time, took workshops and entered juried shows. After we moved to Utah in 1995 and my children graduated from college, I earnestly started painting.