Growing up in Kansas, Nancy was sure she would become a professional trumpet player. She wasn't really trying to avoid becoming an artist. She was just too busy learning her scales to learn how to draw. It never occurred to her that she might actually prefer some day to paint pictures for a living rather than play her trumpet.

Fortunately, Nancy usually listened to her mom. So when her mom suggested that Nancy take a drawing class, she signed up. Nancy was 30 years old at the time, and her life took an unexpected but exciting new direction. A couple years after that first drawing class, she began her illustration career as an artist at Hallmark Cards where she worked for 23 years. Nancy "retired" from Hallmark in 2003 to pursue a freelance career. She loves getting up every day and going to work in her studio. She learns something new every day and is highly motivated by each new opportunity.

Nancy does have other interests. When she was 46, she learned to ride a motorcycle and loves taking cross-country trips on her Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic. She still plays her trumpet but prefers playing one of her Native American flutes. Learning to cook remains the one interest Nancy does NOT have.

Monkey Trouble (Sandvik Innovations)

Ready to Add & Subtract (Sandvik Innovations)

Ready for Words & Sentences (Sandvik Innovations)

Flo and Zip's Busy Day (Sandvik Innovations)

Ready to Read & Write (Sandvik Innovations)

Ready for Numbers (Sandvik Innovations)