I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was four years old. Back then, I used to watch my grandmother draw with Crayolas on corrugated cardboard boxes she cut into square "canvases." She taught me how to draw juicy red apples.

I incorporate my love of drawing, and of nature, into my illustrations. I work primarily with colored pencils; sometimes using a mixed-media technique of colored pencils, crayons, and paint. Sometimes I scan my drawings into my computer and completely "paint" over them in Photoshop. My two techniques are self-taught.

After attending The Art Institute of Boston, I spent eight years hand-lettering signs for a chain of ski stores, Ski Town USA. I have been a freelance illustrator since 1989.

I have taught colored pencil classes and workshops, judged art exhibits, designed and painted backdrops for community theatre, and illustrated surgical tools for Johnson & Johnson and Codman & Shurtleff.

I was a sidewalk artist drawing dinosaurs for The Discovery Channel's "Walking with Dinosaurs" campaign.

I have taught "Drawing from Dramatic Perspectives" at the Norman Rockwell Museum.

I have taught "Advanced Photo Portfolio Seminar" at Massasoit Community College, Canton Massachusetts.

I am the mother of four wonderful children! Ryan, Karlene, Bethany, and Kerrin. We all live in Massachusetts.

Snakes: Long, Longer, Longest
written by Jerry Pallotta
Scholastic, 2006
ISBN 978-0-439-83126-0

Math and science partner up in this fascinating and entertaining book about snakes, by popular author Jerry Pallotta. Written for grades K-2.

Ocean Counting Odd Numbers
written by Jerry Pallotta
Charlesbridge, 2005
ISBN 978-0-88106-151-2

How can a hermit crab count to 31? It can't—but you can! Count from zero to 49 using odd numbers with the help of this zany, fascinating book. Along the way, you'll learn schools of information on fish and other animals from the Atlantic Ocean.

Sharks: Big, Bigger, Biggest
written by Jerry Pallotta
Scholastic, 2005
ISBN 978-0-439-63989-7

Math and science partner up in this fascinating and entertaining book about sharks, by popular author Jerry Pallotta. Written for grades K-2.

Icky Bug Shapes
written by Jerry Pallotta
(Scholastic) Cartwheel, 2003
ISBN 978-0-439-38918-1

Kids will love learning their shapes with help from icky bugs. All the familiar shapes, such as squares, rectangles, circles, stars, and others are covered in this adorable young picture book.