I believe in my Rubber Ducky Theory -- the idea that even the mundane can be fun, (like a rubber ducky to play with in a bathtub) and that we learn best when the process is entertaining.

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Ever since I was a little fairy I created illustrated stories that taught a lesson or presented some tool to help others. I wrote plays starring animals with silly names like Dog, for the dog character, or Duck, for, you guessed it, the duck character. Themes of those plays often involved lessons in self esteem, or friendship, or how to feel better after a bad day. I was greatly influenced by my Mom reading selections to me of the Aesop's Fables.  

 

Fast forward today I am still drawing characters but they now have more interesting evolved names like Alabaster and Alfonz, and their wings or arms often move. I have a lot more training under my belt, a few degrees in design including a newly attained Master's Degree focused on the foundation of designing material for learning, and certification in Animation, and Media Design for Education. Through my business of many years I've invented illustrated products, books and online programs focused on empowering tools that help others to help themselves presented in fun formats, including my international Fairy Online School of ten years, Healing Fairy Alphabet deck, Help the Sensitive books, and an imaginary mall design program, the Idea Emporium. I design for kids and Lifelong Learners (the inner kids in adults). I am also still in the classroom - I teach Digital Arts over at Pima Community College.

 

The special magic I offer is coming up with and developing fun project ideas and providing creative illustrations and graphics to companies that focus on learning, whether, education or self help. 

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Fun Facts:

• I love research and digging down a rabbit hole to learn, and then sharing what I have learned through what I create.

• My role models include innovative teaching artists, Ed Emberley (teaching drawing with fun), Lynda Barry (check out Syllabus and Making Comics), Tim Burton (his drawings rock), the late Jim Henson (genius mind who brought invention to educational technology), and the late Edward Gorey (a marvel at pen and ink). 

• I dig color and design in its many forms, and I have seen every episode of Project Runway.

• I love drawing sweets and discovered that I had a grandfather that was a baker. I had a blast drawing all the goodies in my Idea Emporium mall.

• I am barely five feet tall. Very fairy-like.