I am so excited to be returning to Innovations this year!  I previously taught K & 1st for many years at IA and now I will be returning as the 2D Art teacher!  I grew up near the ocean, camping across California and dreaming under cherimoya trees in my Australian grandmother’s wild back yard.  This connection with nature is an important part of who I am as a teacher and artist. As an educator, who has been working with children for over 30 years, I love sharing the wonder of the world- both the natural world, and the world of passionate artists, past and present.  I feel strongly that art is for everyone, whether a child imagines they will one day join the myriad of artistic careers out there, or if they use it as their own outlet or mindfulness strategy.  We all can benefit from getting creative each day!  As an artist, I love exploring mixed media, watercolor, and silk painting as well as art journaling, knitting, crochet and sewing.  I come from a line of women who were always making something and I feel proud to be able to pass on all the skills I learned from my Nanna, aunts and Mum.  My resume also includes being a member of the San Diego Silk Guild, a juried artist at Spanish Village and owning my own community art studio, The Grateful Dandelion Atelier.  Personally, I create art to convey serenity, love and to remind others of the joy and healing that connecting with nature can bring.   When I’m not teaching or creating, you might find me dancing, reading, drinking tea, reading tarot, traveling or camping near a creek in the Sierras.