I grew up in the small town of Sonoma, CA. Our house sat on several acres of grassy fields with cool, spicy eucalyptus trees and a tiny creek. This was an ideal environment for my imagination to grow and flourish, fed by my teachers, parents, and most of all, books.  I read voraciously and, like grafting branches onto a sapling, these stories have stayed with me and become a part of who I am.

Stories enrich our lives in innumerable ways, and there are so many ways to tell them!  For me, the marriage of words and images in a picture or comic book is the most challenging and exciting way to share my experiences.  I hope that in my work, words and pictures flow together with the energy of a soccer team, the grace of two dancers, and the rhythm of a double-dutch squad.

The traditional media of ink and watercolor are best suited to the stories I am currently telling.  I enjoy the flow and flexibility they offer; they allow to render with precise detail and control as well as with freedom.  I approach the process of writing and illustrating almost as if I were directing a film. First, I come up with a script.  Then I design the characters, the costumes, and the set.  Rehearsals are the glorious and grueling process of getting every page just right. This is where I really dig into my characters and who they are. Often they will surprise me and take the story in a new and exciting direction.

I believe the best stories, from alphabet books to young adult literature, should have something in them for everyone.  After the final page turns, the longer it lingers and feeds the imagination of the reader, the better the book.