Occupation: I’m a potter and wildlife artist. I’ve been doing pottery for 15 years, after selling insurance for 30 years. I sell my works through galleries. Right now, I have items at galleries in Ridgefield, Block Island, and my main gallery in Jackson, N.H., Cassidy Gallery.

Family: I have three amazing adult children, Amanda, Jennifer, and Greg, who are my mentors and buddies. I’m very proud of them. And there is my fiancé, Chris Cushman, as well.

Pets: I have two adopted feral cats, Willy and Smitty. Willy is a Maine Coon cat, and Smitty is a short-haired tiger stripe.

How long have you been in Newtown? I’ll have been here for 14 years, this summer.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love my work. To be able to do what you love as “work” is such a gift. I also love to kayak, and I’m a hiker and a birder. I read and there are not enough hours in the day for all my reading. I love music, as well. I grew up in a house of music. My father was a concert violinist with the Syracuse Orchestra. As a girl, my mother played piano in her hometown, for silent movies. She was a wonderful pianist and had a lovely singing voice.

What are you listening to currently for music? I have the most eclectic taste. I have everything from Pink Floyd to a new singer, Hozier, to Mozart.

What are you reading now? I just finished a fabulous book by Jojo Moyes, called The Girl You Left Behind. The author is a fabulous writer. Her stories are amazing and her characters are wonderful.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? We go to Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks every year to kayak. We love it. It’s peaceful and it’s beautiful, and the wildlife is fantastic. I’ve been to Costa Rica, St Lucia, and Peru, too, and have been inspired in my pottery pieces by the wildlife there.

What is the best thing about Newtown? I love the historic integrity that has been kept on Main Street. I love the big houses with the old barns in back. It’s very precious. And the people of Newtown are kind, gentle, and courageous.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My mom. I was turning over rocks, looking for bugs and she knew the names of everything. She knew the names of plants and the names of birds. We went on walks. She taught me a lot about nature. And my children influence me tremendously. They are amazing human beings!

Do you have a personal philosophy? I live a life full of gratitude for the life that I have. It makes me slow down and breathe deep, and it makes me more kind.

Growing up, what was your favorite toy? The great outdoors. I was a real tomboy, collecting bugs, making forts, making bows and arrows. I was outdoors all the time. I even played outside in the rain.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Sugar. Cookies and ice cream, especially. I’ve had a sweet tooth since I was a little kid. So I don’t keep them in the house. To be honest, I don’t feel very guilty when I have cookies. Guilt is a useless emotion.