Born and bred in Leyland Lancashire; escaped to Manchester and Art College in 1965 and gained a Dip AD in Graphics. One year at Reading University gained me an Art Teaching Dilpoma (teaching was something my family could see the point of!). 3 years teaching art up to A level at a comprehensive in Woking developed my 'skills' for dealing with troublesome kids and oddballs who were often sent to the art room as a last resort, no-one else knowing quite what to do with them. Marriage and motherhood turned me to occasional water colours and odd scribblings, in a vain attempt to keep up the pretense that I was still some kind of an artist/draftsman. Help came with freelance design work for local museums and galleries after moving to Chichester in 1973. I later worked freelance for English Heritage and the National Trust and worked with author Elizabeth Newbery on various publications for heritage sites. When the children were older I took a job as graphic designer with West Sussex Library Service and stayed 19 years as Publicity & Promotions Manager. Voluntary Redundancy in 2007 has given me the opportunity of going back and starting again at the painting/drawing 'thing'.