My journey in the arts began with my mother whose creative mind and attention to detail touched everyone around her, especially me. I now dabble in my own art - whimsical dolls, watercolors, collage, pencil drawings, and paper books. I designed this website (with a little help from my son) as a way to share my memoir and artwork with my friends and family.
I grew up in Bexley, Ohio and graduated from Ohio State University in 1971 with a BFA degree in studio art and interior design. After working as a designer for a large furniture company, I helped open and manage the first art gallery and framing studio in Champaign County, the Major-Saxbe Fine Arts Gallery.
In 1987, I joined Babs Sirak and Loann Crane's art consulting firm, Winning Images. Together, we partnered with artists and galleries, placing artworks in banks, law firms, hospitals, retail spaces, and clients' homes. Babs and Loann were two remarkable women who became my mentors and dearest friends. Working along side them made my career in the arts a dream come true.
I returned to Ohio State and received a Masters of Fine Arts degree with a focus on public art, public policy, and arts administration. In 2007, I was appointed by Governor Strickland to Chair the Ohio Arts Council and later served on Columbus' first Public Arts Commission. I supervised several public art installations with artist Aminah Robinson, including The Cincinnati Underground Railroad Museum and The Ohio University Student Center.
I'm married to the greatest husband in the world (just ask anyone), Rocky Saxbe. We have two beautiful children, Sarah and Jake, and the best son and daughter-in-law there ever was, Andy and Carrie. Our three precious grandsons, Bennett, Sawyer, and Sam are all brilliant and charming!!!
My days are filled to the brim making art, playing piano, working out, and spending time with the people I love the most - my family and friends. I fight MS with a positive attitude, a great neurologist, Pilates, my electric trike, and a husband who watches over me.
