I was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, grew up in Arlington,
Virginia, went to high school in Washington, D.C., and to college at the
Pennsylvania State University as a sociology major where, as a senior,
I took my first art course. After graduation I moved to New York City where
I worked for the Columbia University Bureau of Applied Social Research
while studying painting at night. After that I took another job in
social research in Washington D.C. again studying painting and drawing
in night school at American University. Finally I gave up sociology for
full-time art study at the University of Illinois where I received an MFA
in 1954, and where I met and married artist, Conrad Ross. We lived
in Littleton, Massachusetts near Boston, Washington D.C., Iowa City,
Ruston, Louisiana, ending up in 1963 in
Auburn where we have lived and worked ever since.
We raised three children here and now have four grandchildren who live
nearby. I also taught on the art faculty at Tuskegee University for 23
years before
retiring in 1991. Except for 14 years when I was mainly
interacting with small children I have practiced my art slowly but regularly.
I continue to maintain a studio, paint and exhibit.
STATEMENT
My work is my response to the people and things I see. Earlier
I worked exclusively from life but now I use photographs as well,
often altering them by combining and rearranging images.
I use charcoal, pencil, xerox transfers, pastel and occasionally other
materials in addition to oil, but always my images refer ultimately to
something that existed and remains in my eye. |
