I am a retired artist originally from Chicago, whom went to American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL and Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, Ca. I enjoy doing portrait work, greeting cards of pen & ink drawings, and landscapes. I am most proud of being a teacher of art to mentally challenges people, grade school students and disabled people in my complex in Pleasant Hill, CA. in recent years! I also worked as a production artist coordinator for a non-profit for many years. As Thomas Aquinas said, "Art is the right making of that which needs to be made." I believe there is no wrong or right to art. It is what it is!

More and more the medical community is seeing that being creative is a healing endeavor! I not only enjoy art and have a passion for it but also must create for my health. I have used all kinds of mediums to accomplish this depending on my subject matter.

In my submission you will see all kinds of diverse people hugging. These were people that I cared for through the years and loved. I used colored pencils because that is what children would have used had they done this artwork. Children are honest until they learn fear and hatred. Our societies need compassion, honesty and truth. It is titled, "Arms are for Hugging" as opposed to Arms are for war!