Zin has lived in rural Snohomish for forty-seven years and maintains a 5-acre garden. She designed and planted her garden which consists of hundreds of plant and tree varieties; it is her place of solace and provides endless inspiration.

Zin was raised on a ranch in Wolf Creek Montana where she learned to love the wonders of everything to do with nature. On her tenth birthday she was given her first set of watercolors which unleashed her enthusiasm and interest in painting and mixing colors on paper.

In 1969 she joined the American Red Cross and served in the Vietnam war in Pleiku for thirteen months. Her next ARC assignment was in Heidelberg, Germany where she lived for five years. She studied in watercolor workshops throughout Europe and gained knowledge from many talented artists. Zin developed a love for traveling that continues to this day. She recently returned from Japan where she toured gardens and visited art galleries. Another trip was to the Isles of Scilly off the coast of SW England where she hiked around many small islands taking photos of the coast line for painting inspiration.

After six years with the American Red Cross, she moved to Snohomish with her husband. They raised two daughters on their ‘farm’ and now have four grandchildren. One daughter moved to Western Australia, which is now Zin’s escape during the PNW’s rainy and gray winter months.

Zin is self taught and passionate about painting. She continues to study watercolors and the challenges of this glorious and capricious medium. Painting portraits is her new found interest.

Artist’s statement: I believe art is a way of capturing our response to feelings, natural instincts and emotions. Instincts don’t involve reason; they just happen. Be curious and keep them alive.