"One day as I was doodling, I drew a face, and something lit up inside of me. I've been fascinated with doing faces ever since. It's a thrill each time I see a person's face come to life as I paint it. For me, painting a portrait is a way to honor that person. Whether the subject is living or passed on, the painting gives joy to that person's loved ones for years to come." 

As she explored her new passion, Marilyn drew from the life around her—the native Americans of Alaska, the amazing wildlife. It was a rich experience for an artist, and her own clear insight was enhanced by daily life in the wild.

Marilyn sold her first painting and, in the next five years, every painting thereafter. She has conducted several workshops and classes in drawing and painting and taught drawing and painting through the University of Alaska Rural Education Program. 

Marilyn now lives in central Texas near Austin, right down the road from Cactus Hill.