Inspiration for the piece:

Back to my memories of growing up on the farm and around lakes

What role does art play in your life?

I like decorating and creating beautiful pieces of arts and crafts. Allows my mind to clear and be at peace within my surroundings.

Artist statement:

Going back to my roots brings me back to country life on the farm. Growing up on the farm as a child we were always kept busy. There seemed to be no free time to play and just to simply enjoy being a kid. Oh how we longed to live in the city which was actually a small town. Thoughts at that time were we could just hang out with friends, playing ball, go to the pool, all the fun things they got to do. Never a dull moment being raised on the farm - chores, livestock, crops, tend gardens, baling hay and straw.

As we got involved in 4H clubs and showed our projects at county and state fairs, plus the wonderful Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa. These were to me to be the exchange of what city kids enjoy.

As life has followed over the past 74 years, my heart longs to be back in the country, out on the farm and lakes. Love for the open air and all the smells, some good, some bad! Watching the land, with the new crops growing. Plus, the livestock growing up, ready for market. If only I was 60 years younger. Knowing what I know now, I would return to the farm life that I grew up on. Never too old to learn.