Born in Washington, DC and living in nearby Maryland ever since, I spent my childhood surrounded by farms being replaced by suburbs, and commuting to the museums as often as anyone would take me. My sister and I have been drawing, painting and crafting as long as we can remember. My sister even went to art college, but I was herded onto the seemingly more practical path, and earned a degree in Elementary Education. Along the way, I picked up knitting, spinning and weaving as hobbies. Graduating on the crest of a baby boomer wave, a full-time teaching job was hard to find. I spent a few years living hand to mouth as a substitute, then gave up and started working downtown for a non-profit organization and later, the US. Govt. That kept me close to some of my favorite museums, spending many a 30-minute lunch "hour" sketching. I am now enjoying early retirement, revelling in the freedom to spend one day in my art studio and the next at my knitting machines. Not to mention far too much time in front of this computer.
The nickname "Halla" is actually a fairly common name for women in the Norse Sagas. It was chosen, with the help of a favorite professor, for use in Markland, a medieval recreation group. Somehow it is that name that wanted to be on my artwork. When I was drawn into the world of Science Fiction conventions, the name really stuck. It was at these SF convention art shows that my fantasy art and whimsical polymer clay sculptures became somewhat known and I started to attract a small following of patrons. Really small and none too wealthy, but we all start somewhere, right? Hope you enjoy this look at my world.
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THIS SITE LAST UPDATED ON September 11, 2005