Thank you for visiting ! Please allow me to give you a tour of my studio and tell you about

 my work. Art and animals have been a part of my life since I was a child. Although I graduated

 as an Art Major in Depth from Winona University ( Minnesota ), I think I learned the most about

 art from my Mother. She had a paint brush in my hand while I was still in the high chair!

 My art career began as a painter of portraits, landscapes, and, of course, animals. In my youth,

 I was consumed with a passion for horses. I rode them, I trained them, and I painted them.

 A changing lifestyle meant downsizing the obsession. Papillon dogs worked well in this category.

 I bred Papillons under the Nanstar Prefix for 22 years. In that time, I raised 28 litters

 and co-bred a handful more. From those litters have come 45 Champions.

 My first litter included Ch. Nanstar Bright Sierra UD who was BOB at the PCA National in 1987

 and BOS later from Veteran class, and her sister, Ch. Nanstar's Aquilla CD, DOM who was BOS

 at the PCA specialty in 1988. Second generation was Aquilla's son, Ch. Nanstar Moon Shadow CD,

 SOD, a group winner who sired Ch. Nanstar Corsair of Car Lee, a multi BIS dog. Other specialty

 winners include Ch. Nanstar's Auriga ( GCPC BOB winner ) and Ch. Nanstar Mistral ( PCA WB

 and later BOS winner ).

 My goal in breeding was never to be a "big" breeder and have a lot of dogs. I only have kept

 a small number and they are always house pets first, show dogs second. I think of breeding as

 a living art form. As with all art, the time comes when one should put down the paint brush and

 say that the piece is done -- then sit back and enjoy it ! That is the place where I have arrived in

 my breeding program. I am sitting back to enjoy the lovely dogs I have created and will hopefully

 live with for many years to come !

 My last litter was born 11/12/07--a single male puppy named Nanstar Rainbow's End.

 My old love of horses has come to the forefront once again. I am back in the saddle riding

 a lovely appaloosa/thoroughbred cross mare. We are enjoying each other and I find the time

 flying away when I am with the horse. A 25 year absense does make the heart grow fonder!

 My husband and I are also involved as volunteers in a wonderful program of therapeutic riding

 for special needs children. We find this a most valuable use of our time.

 Majestic Hills Ranch is just a mile down the road from our house. In addition to the dogs and

 horse, I am also an avid gardner and keeper of koi and goldfish.

 There is never a minute in my day when I wonder if there is something to do !
 

 Studio L'image began in 1985 as a partnership between myself and Susan Cassem.  

 We sold a few of my original stoneware dog sculptures at a show, reinvested in some molds, 

 and a business was whelped ! Sue critiqued as I sculpted to complete most of the breeds you 

 will see in this site. Sue has since retired from the business and I continue the work. 

 The first step in producing a figurine is to complete the original. This is done in polymer clay. 

 After the original is completed, a mold is made by painting on silicone rubber in layers over the

 original. When that is dry, a plaster "mother mold" is formed around the silicone.  This is then 

 opened and the original removed. Casting material is poured into the mold and allowed to harden. 

 The casting is then carefully removed from the mold and hand cleaned and detailed. After drying 

 for a week, the casting is painted using several types of paint in a two day process.  A final sealer 

 is sprayed on and the bottom finished with pads. Because each piece requires considerable hand

 work, no two are exactly alike.