I WAS BORN IN N.Y.C., 1953, INTO A FAMILY OF ARTISTS AND TEACHERS. I GREW UP IN THE 50S AND 60S ON CAPE COD BEFORE THE RETIREES CAME TO TOWN AND THE LITTLE SCRUB OAK WOODS AND SAND DIRT ROADS WERE GOBBLED UP BY SUBDIVISIONS. I BETRAY MY AGE AND SAY ‘‘THINGS AREN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE. BUT THEY CANT WRECK THE OCEAN’’ HA! SUMMERS WERE NEW YORKERS, ALWAYS BEING OUTSIDE, KIDS ON BIKES, THE OCEAN. THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY YOU COULD PLAY TENNIS ON ROUTE 6A. I USED MY BIKE TO FIND WILD SECRET SPOTS LIKE THE PLACE WHERE 15’ ROSE BUSHES GREW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WOODS AND A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD DIG UP A LITTLE BLUE GLASS BOTTLE MADE IN 1910.

MY PRIMARY EDUCATION WAS BEING THE DAUGHTER OF A FAMILY-SUPPORTING WORKING ARTIST, DAVID T. GROSE. MY FIRST VISUAL TURN ON WAS A TOM AND JERRY CARTOON AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIES. THE FIRST PAINTING LESSON I CAN RECALL WAS AFTER BEING GIVEN AN OIL PAINTING KIT WITH AN EASEL AND BRINGING HOME A VERY VIRIDIAN GREEN LEAFED AND VERY RED BLOSSOMED PAINTING OF A POPPY, POP SIMPLY SAID SOMETHING LIKE ‘VERY NICE NOW WELL LOOK AT THE REAL POPPY OUTSIDE AND SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT SHADES OF GREEN? THAT SET THE TONE OF LEARNING. AND I GENERALLY MIX MY GREENS FROM OTHER COLORS. I HAVE A STRONG MEMORY OF WORKING WITH GREAT JOY OF CONCENTRATION ON A DRAWING OF A TOY CAMEL.

I WORKED IN MY FATHER’S SMALL SILK SCREEN FACTORY, THE KATHRYN BERRIEN STUDIO, FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS STARTING AT ABOUT AGE OF 13. I SOON BEGAN TO SHOW LITTLE WATERCOLORS IN HIS GALLERY AND OTHERS AROUND THE CAPE AND SOMEHOW AFTER A FEW YEARS OF SELLING HUNDREDS OF PAINTINGS IN THE SUMMERS ON CAPE COD I GOT THE IDEA THAT I COULD KEEP ON DOING THIS COOL THING.

ONE THING I NEVER DID WAS TO STOP PAINTING. MAYBE NEVER HAVING MADE THE DECISION TO BECOME A PAINTER I COULDN’T DECIDE TO STOP BEING ONE. MY SCHOOLS WERE DENNIS/ YARMOUTH REGIONAL HIGH, THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF WESTON, CAPE COD COMM COLL, AND THE VESPER GEORGE SCHOOL OF ART IN BOSTON.

SO, I MET A MAN IN OREGON, HAD BABIES, MOVED TO ARKANSAS AND MIGRATED TO DALLAS. i BECAME A SIGN PAINTER AND LEARNED THE WAYS OF THE LITTLE FLIPPY FLOPPY BRUSH AND SIGN ENAMEL. WE MOVED A LOT BUT I SHOWED WORK EVERYWHERE WE LIVED. EVEN IN THE GREAT CEDAR SWAMP COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN ARKANSAS I PAINTED PICTURES OF PEOPLE’S BABIES OR THEIR COON DOGS.

YEARS AND MILES AWAY FROM THOSE COON DOGS, I AM NOW IN THE LAND OF ARTISTS, WHILE TALKING TO A WRITER, LISTENING TO HER EXPERIENCE OF AN ARTISTS RETREAT, WHICH WAS MAINLY THE BEAUTY OF LACK OF DISTRACTIONS LEADING TO PRODUCTIVITY, I REALIZED THAT ‘‘PAINTING OUT’’ GAVE ME THAT. I REGULARLY WANDER OUT TO PAINT TREES, WEEDS, THE SIDE OF A HILL. EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS AWAY (ESPECIALLY IF YOU FORGET YOUR CELL PHONE) AND THE LOVELY SHAPES AND COLORS OF THE NATURAL WORLD ARE ALL THAT IS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND SOMETIMES A GOOD PAINTING.

GROSE GALLERY, DENNIS, MA 1972 - 2008

PEGASUS GALLERY, PROVINCETOWN, MA 2006

KARILON GALLERY, PROVINCETOWN, MA 2006 - PRESENT

NASH GALLERY, EASTHAMPTON, MA 2002 - 2019

SALMON FALLS GALLERY, SHELBURN FALLS, MA 2007 - PRESENT

STUDIO AT COTTAGE STREET STUDIOS, EASTHAMPTON, MA