Hello everyone:

What an honor to share a bit of myself with you. Photography is a relatively new pursuit of mine and I feel lucky to be inspired every day by your gorgeous photos on IPA.

I was raised in upstate New York in the Catskill Mountains where I left my childhood heart and then, further north near Buffalo. I had a tough beginning, losing my father to cancer when I was 13. I threw myself into academics and the theatre. To this day, I take delight in learning anything and everything. I love new pursuits, new places and new people. I have also been a costume and dress designer my entire life. I probably did not wear anything store-bought until I was in my late 20s and got a real job.

I graduated from S.U.N.Y. Albany with degrees in Asian history and Chinese. I spent a year abroad studying Chinese in Singapore and had many adventures traveling throughout Asia. I worked in sports promotion for a few years in Boulder, Colorado with the Coors International Bike Classic. I was a bike mechanic, building bike wheels for racers, occasionally rubbing shoulders with bicycle elites and in general having a fantastic time.

I eventually settled down, married and had my daughter Miranda. This marriage ended and I started law school in Madison, Wisconsin. Again, I threw myself into academics, became managing editor of the law review, designed clothing with a vengeance, took Miranda to law school classes with me and met Tom. Tom had a daughter Sarah and soon, the two of us became inseparable, moved in together, got married and got pregnant with Billy.

I juggled a law career with my new family for a while but, by the time Douglas came along, I chose to focus on the children. I regret/don’t regret that decision. I put alot of time and effort into law school, graduated near the top, etc., but sigh, life is full of tough choices. Law school did teach me how to think and reason… and it got me Tom!

We have been blessed with a fantastic life together. We’ve lived in the Netherlands, Wisconsin, Minnesota and now, Colorado. We’ve traveled with our children and shared many hobbies and adventures with them: downhill skiing in the Andes, dog mushing in Lapland, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, camel trekking in central Australia, following Billy’s bagpipe career through Scotland and rock climbing throughout the west. Now that they are all adults they still love to travel and are all adventurous. My greatest accomplishment, without a doubt, has been fostering these amazing individuals.

I recently quit my long-time volunteer job with the National Marrow Donor Program for which I served as a courier. Couriers transport the life-giving marrow from the donor to cancer recipient in medical coolers. I flew to many places all over the world and obtained great satisfaction in playing a small part in the effort to combat cancer.

A little over a year ago, Tom gave me the Fuji outfit for a trip we planned to Iceland. I really didn’t know what I was doing and was allergic to any technical advice he gave me. I fell in love with photography (and with Iceland) and thus, a new obsession began. I noticed the gorgeous luminous results he was getting with the Leica and I finagled his second Leica body away from him, as well as a collection of lenses. He did not think I would like shooting with the Leica but I did. And I do. My goal is to wheedle the Noctilux away from him too.

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