THE REAL WORLD I went to lots of publishers as soon as I graduated from Parsons. Everyone was very encouraging. One publisher even talked to me about illustrating someone else's text, while eating a snack over my portfolio. I was insulted by the crumbs. Shortly after this I left New York to "visit" a friend. I ended up in Cleveland, Ohio and my first real job as a staff artist for American Greetings Corp. I was drawing silly cards from 9-5, with a lunch hour, coffee break, and a very funny group of co-workers. They taught me how to hang a spoon from my nose. It was a blast. I stayed a couple of years and married my friend. We are still married and still friends.

We moved to Connecticut and commuted to New York. In the city, I shared a studio on Union Square with two very talented illustrators and fellow Parsons graduates. We had no money, but lots of confidence. I ran all over the city and illustrated whatever I could to pay the rent. Then, the New York Times sidetracked my career. Our building had an "open studio" event. I was creating soft sculpture on the side. When I ended up with my picture in the Times and spent most of the next year stuffing and sewing soft sculptures, I missed drawing. I wanted to make books.

At the end of the summer I moved my studio home. I decided I would be published by the end of the year. Lucky for me, I was. Dial Books offered me a contract for "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", my first book.

With one foot in the publisher's door, I put the other in Vermont. We moved when I finished the art for my first book. Many years and books later we are still in Vermont where we are living happily ever after with our two kids and various animals, including at one time or other…dogs, cats, chickens, bunnies, a pony and for a short time…a rooster named Bob.

I do go back to New York during the year and I still love to draw people on the streets and subways. But most of all I love living in Vermont and making books.