I was born in New York, grew up in Texas, lived in Israel and have lived in Amsterdam since 1975. My parents were always politically and socially active. Growing up in Texas I was exposed to a lot of political activism, my parents organized demonstrations, political meetings, discussions and much more. While in Israel, I became intensely interested in photography and eventually chose it as my profession. After a short time at UPI (United Press International), my direction in photography changed: I wanted to photograph beautiful things instead.
When I arrived in Amsterdam, I got in touch with a gallery, and it took off from there. I worked for the Dutch Bodybuilding Association and then for the Dutch Dance Theater in The Hague. From there I continued to "photograph and exhibit." During this time I rode a BMW 650cc motorcycle and loved it.
Shortly after my daughter was born, I became aware of climate change and the destruction we were causing to our planet. I started organizing demonstrations, joined climate groups and generally became a climate activist. During this time, in 2009, I was able to work with a social housing organization to have 4 roofs planted. This was the first time I received a city grant. During the presentation of these 4 roofs I came in contact with Prof. Helga Fassbinder, the great person behind the Biotope City Journal, which deals with urban greening including facades, roofs and green architecture. She asked me if I wanted to be on the editorial board, and I agreed.
Soon after, I founded the Growing Air Foundation to promote the (re)planting and restoration of forests worldwide. The Growing Air Foundation also educates the public via social media about why trees/forests are so important to the health of our planet and ultimately to us. After meeting with the inimitable Louis Palmer of WAVE (World Advanced Vehicle Expedition), I participated in three electric vehicle rallies with Gordon Foat of Green MotorSport. At two of these rallies, we rode in a buggy built by Green MotorSport that will eventually be used in a reforestation project in Brazil.
During this time, I started a photo series about trees called Artistrees. I am currently looking for a publisher for this series. A few exhibitions with these photos have proven that looking at trees differently changes the way people see and perceive trees, giving them a better understanding of their importance. I recently started writing poetry again, discovering another outlet for climate activism. For the most recent poem, There's a heatwave running wild, I am looking for a videographer who will allow me to share it with a wider audience. Given what is at stake, I will not give up the fight for the planet, my daughter, and all the daughters and sons of younger and future generations.