Her father was a country doctor/artist, and mother was a festive singer, poet and entertainer. She graduated from the
University of Florida and moved to
Oakland, California in 1971. She had a one-person show at the
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1980, "Bay Area Personalities", watercolor portraits of
Maya Angelou,
Herb Caen,
Louise Cavis,
Melvin Belli and
Dianne Feinstein. In 1984 she opened the Jessel Gallery in
Napa, California. It began with and 30 artists and 15 years later, the gallery is and is 300 artists strong. She writes and illustrates children's books. ==Awards==