Artists Bio:
I was born in a small town, Ransom, Illinois. I had 4 sisters and I brother. My mother was very good at things like crochet and she also painted some. My sisters were talented in different ways. Doing beautiful hand work and crafts. 2 of them painted well.

I was always interested in art but was not abel to try it until my children were grown. I gave my attention to the Brownies, Girl Scouts, Den mother duties, Band Booster, PTA and all the other "Mother" things with seven children. I now have sixteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

When I started painting I loved it. I have spent much of my time painting or teaching. As I do not have a degree I could not teach in the college in Joliet, Illinois. I did teach in their Satelite Program off campus.

I was lucky to find a wonderful Art League in Brownsville Texas when we moved there. I taught many years and loved it. We worked in Oil, Watercolor and Acrylics. I also taught some drawing classes. The league was open five days a week for artists to take lessons or work on their own.

Artist statement:
I build my art around the ideal of representational impressions of beauty. I am drawn to blooming flowers and put them in many of my paintings. I am fascinated with the different shapes and colors of the blossoms I see and I like to see the different kinds of plants in different areas of the world.

My second beauty interest is old architecture. Looking at old buildings always makes me wish they could talk to me. I wish they could tell me about the people who have worked in the building or shopped there. I wish the homes could tell me about the families who once lived and loved in them.

I enjoy striving for beauty in my paintings and these are two of the things that bring beauty to mind when I paint a piece.

Vada was an artist demonstrator at the annual Snow bird reception in February and often serves as an Art Center volunteer hostess.