I DESCRIBED MYSELF RECENTLY AS A" HANDS ON ACADEMIC" which I think is pretty apt. I research, exchange ideas, touch, see and experience everything that interests me as much as I can.

I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN DESIGN FROM PRATT INSTITUTE IN NYC. In the past I taught various design related issues fulltime at the college level for several years. I also have written quite a bit for the web including clients such as AOL and architects, contractors, realtors, and even a national title company! I have written a piece which helped an architect win a major award, which was, well, very rewarding. I continue to travel because I like to see and touch while I learn. I'm an art photographer who loves photographing architecture. I'm also a designer myself - naturally.

My education and interest started way before Pratt. I grew up with a father who was a builder in love with architecture and good design. My family traveled extensively and wherever we went Sis stayed with Mom doing "their" thing. while Dad and I went off to see Monitcello or Falling Waters, maybe a log cabin building demonstration... My dad was quick to point out each of the special elements and enlighted thought that went into all we looked at. Of course he would also show me details such as how unpractical something could be when seeing issues such as inaccessiblity to the elderly, handicapped etc. He would point out when the aesthetics of a project got in the way of making something practical while always discussing with me how it might have been done better.

I AM ALSO AN AVID NATURALIST AND HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO GET INVOLVED WITH SOME NEAT THINGS. I swam with a sick whale (from 12 midnight to 3am) that was being rescued down in the Florida Keys. (They didn't tell me until I was in the water that it could move it's head 90 degrees and could bite!) If I didn't have a replacement at 3am I would have swam until I drowned it was so awesome. I spent a summer at baby sea turtle releases. I helped scientists for weeks do the very non-exciting thing of counting boats go by and clocking their speed in order to up-date the local laws protecting manatees. Stuff like that.

I love architecture and urban design. "Good design"and novel approaches get me excited. I love beautiful furniture. I grew up in Miami surrounded by art deco to 1950's styled offices, hotels, and commercial buildings which were frequently my father's job to remodel. I could never understand why they were throwing those beautiful metal desks into the dumpsters.

I WAS LUCKY TO GET MY MASTER'S IN NEW YORK WHERE IT SEEMED EVERY STYLE OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE OR DESIGN WAS EITHER RIGHT THERE ON THE NEXT CORNER OR JUST A SUBWAY RIDE AWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SEE, TOUCH, WALK THROUGH SO MUCH - AS I LEARNED THE THINKING BEHIND WHAT SHAPED THESE BUILDINGS, INTERIOR SPACES, AND FURNISHINGS.