I was born in Long Island, NY and traveled throughout childhood, my father being in the Air Force. After several years in Japan I grew up surrounded by Japanese and Chinese objects, rugs, furniture and especially Japanese books on culture, design and art. I learned that the Japanese do not separate art from craft. And that the four seasons and nature are integrated into art and architecture.  Traveling exposed me to foreign movies, major museums and different kinds of people and cultures and had a lot to do with my becoming an artist.