About Terri

I have been writing and creating art as far back as I can remember. As a kid I attended art classes and played around with whatever materials I could get my hands on. I took pottery in an old fire station, tried oil paints from an auction box, and experimented with my mother’s watercolors and pastels. I learned to make batiks (and later that it’s a bad idea to try to remove the wax with hot water in the bathtub...). My school notebooks were filled with stories, poems, and doodles. I also developed a deep love of nature, being outdoors, and exploring new places.

I went on to study first psychology and then computer science, always fascinated by complex systems and relationships, whether they were found in nature, human interactions, software, or manufacturing. I worked for many years in the high tech industry, performing a variety of IT, business operations, and management roles, but I never stopped writing, painting, gardening, and trying new things.

Every year I would treat myself to at least one art class or workshop. I learned to make Chinese watercolor angelfish from Lian Zheng, “paint with paper” from Sandy Oppenheimer, paint realistic animals from David Kitler, do amazing things with scratchboard and watercolor from Rick Wheeler, and create luminous layers of wax from Linda Robertson. I am also grateful to Liz Walker, Anji Grainger, and René Eisenbart for introducing me to the wonderful world of marbling and combining watercolor, ink, and acrylic in unique ways, and to the late Cliff Smith who taught me drawing and watercolor techniques that served as a foundation for my future work and to believe in myself as an artist.

In 2016 I decided to retire from my corporate job so I could spend more time on my other passions and use my broad skillset to help the planet and my community. Along the way I have met so many wonderful people and learned so much. I have created this site to share some of my work, thoughts, and experiences with a wider audience. Thank you for visiting and sharing this journey with me.