I was painting furniture, learning to stencil, and explore all kinds of traditional techniques of decoration. I learned from books that I picked up.

At school there were some programs in music. I did take piano lessons, and we had a piano at home. I got very interested in that.

I was there [in school] the full time with one teacher, and the student body was never more than 10 or 12 students of all ages.

Charles Burchfield was exceptional. As such an accomplished artist, he had limited previous association with academia and teaching.

Upon graduation, in the yearbook I was voted "Most likely to succeed." which I know was credited to my artistic achievements.

People, even children, aren't really afraid of change. They're afraid of not being prepared for change.

I think I was really naïve. I had no context to think about what I wanted to do. Each step was a next stage of exploration.