My Beginnings

In 1977 I was an art student at UC Berkeley when I met Nina Fraley, the preeminent carousel artist on the west coast. I was fortunate to apprentice with her while completing a BA in American Folklore: Carousel Art & History. I worked for Nina and Maurice Fraley at their shop, The Redbug Gallery, before moving on to their son Tobin’s shop as his painter for several years.

In 1985 I opened my own restoration and paint studio, where I have focused on restoration for private clients as well as working on full carousel projects such as Tilden Park, Berkeley, CA; San Francisco Zoo; Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA; and one of the Illions Supreme Carousels, now in a private collection.

When not painting lions and tigers and giraffes I am traveling and playing music with my husband George Chittenden and our band Édessa. (pre-pandemic…)