Born in northeastern Oklahoma, I have lived at Thornbush since graduating from high school. Though not a trained “artist,” my heritage certainly suggests that art would always play a prominent role in my life. Thornbush was the much-loved home of my great-aunt, Pet Sullivan. Great-aunts Pet and her sister Lita were the creators of the Dollhouse (located at The Greenbrier and in West Palm Beach, FL) and they held patents on the dolls they designed. As the children of artists, they filled Thornbush with original oil paintings. Hand-painted cabinets in the kitchen date to the early 20th century.

As an outdoor enthusiast and nature lover, I have spent forty years in public education as a biology teacher.  Additionally, for the past ten years, I have sold handmade soaps and art creations, first at Thymeworn, and currently, at Patina (Lewisburg, WV) and The Salt Cave & Spa. To create an art studio was a dream only realized this past summer. I credit my close friends for labor and support, and Jerry Hepler, my “hired help” for seeing my vision as clearly as I, and bringing it to life with his hard work.

I welcome you to my home and my studio as I strive to provide a space of peace and beauty in a world where both seem to be lacking at times.

                                --Jane DeGroot