"I always like it when biographies begin with a quote."
-Brendan Sheppard

On my 14th birthday my granddad bought me a very special book from a secondhand shop; It was the 4th edition of the popular Spectrum annual, showcasing the best in Fantasy & Science Fiction art from around the world. He thought I might get a kick out of it because it looked "neat," but he probably had no idea how much it would spark my interest, and completely change the course of my life.

My entire childhood was filled with exposure to art and artistic technique; My father is an artist, and as soon as I learned how to hold a pencil, I wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Though I was brought up on the Old Masters and traditional painting technique, I've also been making digital art my whole life... I had the good sense to be born at the very beginning of the digital age, and my first experiments with apps like Koala Paint on the Commodore 64, DeluxePaint for the Amiga, and finally Photoshop 2.0 around the time it was gaining popularity. It later occurred to me to try out traditional techniques on a digital platform when I saw the work of contemporary digital artists— a very natural transition.

By the time I got into fantasy art, I was already the girl who stayed in her room drawing and painting nigh constantly. My hobby as a musician took me up to New Haven, Connecticut in 2005 where I had the pleasure of meeting a large group of NY-based SF/Fantasy artists; Their encouragement and example was all the push I needed to get started on the right track for a career in illustration.

A decade after discovering my love for fantasy art, the journey's still just beginning... In 2007, I moved from Connecticut back to my hometown in Northern Virginia, where I live with my husband, Brendan. By day, I work as a graphic designer. By night, I can usually be found up in the side-room drawing, listening to audio books on my iPod, or cooking.

Do you sell prints of your work? Not yet, but I'm greatly looking forward to it. I will post a big update when prints go on sale.

How long does it take to finish a piece? If we're talking digital, anywhere from a single day to a week. For oil paint, the man hours aren't much longer, but the drying time adds up to at least a couple weeks. Usually I'm pretty quick about it.

How can I hire you as an illustrator? I'm so glad you asked! Please visit the contact & info for publishers link, or send me an email with a description of your project.

Do you work for free? No, but my prices are fair.