Dottie Breen
Dottie is a first generation American. Her parents immigrated from Belgium and France before settling in
Paterson, NJ, where she attended PS#10. She was always interested in drawing, would draw on any piece
of paper she could find. She grew up watching the John Gnagy Art Snow on TV every Saturday morning.
As a teen in high school, she had little time for art.
She married shortly after graduation, and while raising her two children, Mary and Raymond; she liked to
watch Bill Alexander on TV. She enjoyed the art, but didn't pursue it because her free time was limited, but
she never lost interest. Years later, after a divorce, she found a job that again sparked her artistic energy.
She became an assistant baker, whose job was to create all those fancy designs and pictures on cakes. One
Christmas, her children gave her a painting kit as a gift and she was hooked. She again turned to TV, The
Bob Ross Show. Having no equipment to tape the show, she learned to paint quickly to keep up. Dotie is
mostly self-taught and began by using oils.
Dottie remarried and her husband was very supportive. He bought her more art supplies and helped her to
build a very special easel. He converted a stepladder with many special features. She can adjust the height
easily; the shelf holds paints, etc. She is able to put everything she needs in one spot and isn't also portable.
It is really quite unique.
Dottie now has time to pursue her dream. She attended an artist group under the direction of Eleanor
Baginski, and began to paint with acrylics. The past four years, painting has become a very important part of
her life.
She is now quite proficient in her chosen field and has entered several juried shows, winning third place in
Long Beach Island in Acrylics, third place at Ocean County College and second place in Ocean County Artist
Guild with an unusual mixed media effort called, "Duke.: Duke is her pet coca-a-too, her painting is almost
three dimensional, she added a little padding to the body and covered it with some of his real feathers. The
real Duke is happily entertaining and enjoying the company of his friends in a nursing home. Duke, the
paining, was entered in a garden show and hung next to a floral arrangement made, quite successfully, to
resemble his picture. Her paintings have been exhibited in the clubhouses of several villages and in local
banks, such as Washingto and Sun Banks. Her home is filled with a wonderful collection of her paintings.
She has offered them for sale to make room for the new ones that she is constantly painting.
Dottie owns a sweet little dog, Zoe, resembling a poodle, but with a French name I dan't spell. Of course,
she had to paint Zoe, also.
The painting that is really special to her is a portrait of her brother, Morriss. Sadly, Morris died before he got
to see her tribute to him.
Dottie would like to say, "Not only has my hobby allowed me to make friends with very nice people, who
share my interests, but some of the more advanced artists, who use their professional skill to help me along
the way. I would like to say 'thank you' to all of them." And thanky you, Dottie, for inviting me into your
home and life, it was an honor.
Lois Sperling.
Dottie is a first generation American. Her parents immigrated from Belgium and France before settling in
Paterson, NJ, where she attended PS#10. She was always interested in drawing, would draw on any piece
of paper she could find. She grew up watching the John Gnagy Art Snow on TV every Saturday morning.
As a teen in high school, she had little time for art.
She married shortly after graduation, and while raising her two children, Mary and Raymond; she liked to
watch Bill Alexander on TV. She enjoyed the art, but didn't pursue it because her free time was limited, but
she never lost interest. Years later, after a divorce, she found a job that again sparked her artistic energy.
She became an assistant baker, whose job was to create all those fancy designs and pictures on cakes. One
Christmas, her children gave her a painting kit as a gift and she was hooked. She again turned to TV, The
Bob Ross Show. Having no equipment to tape the show, she learned to paint quickly to keep up. Dotie is
mostly self-taught and began by using oils.
Dottie remarried and her husband was very supportive. He bought her more art supplies and helped her to
build a very special easel. He converted a stepladder with many special features. She can adjust the height
easily; the shelf holds paints, etc. She is able to put everything she needs in one spot and isn't also portable.
It is really quite unique.
Dottie now has time to pursue her dream. She attended an artist group under the direction of Eleanor
Baginski, and began to paint with acrylics. The past four years, painting has become a very important part of
her life.
She is now quite proficient in her chosen field and has entered several juried shows, winning third place in
Long Beach Island in Acrylics, third place at Ocean County College and second place in Ocean County Artist
Guild with an unusual mixed media effort called, "Duke.: Duke is her pet coca-a-too, her painting is almost
three dimensional, she added a little padding to the body and covered it with some of his real feathers. The
real Duke is happily entertaining and enjoying the company of his friends in a nursing home. Duke, the
paining, was entered in a garden show and hung next to a floral arrangement made, quite successfully, to
resemble his picture. Her paintings have been exhibited in the clubhouses of several villages and in local
banks, such as Washingto and Sun Banks. Her home is filled with a wonderful collection of her paintings.
She has offered them for sale to make room for the new ones that she is constantly painting.
Dottie owns a sweet little dog, Zoe, resembling a poodle, but with a French name I dan't spell. Of course,
she had to paint Zoe, also.
The painting that is really special to her is a portrait of her brother, Morriss. Sadly, Morris died before he got
to see her tribute to him.
Dottie would like to say, "Not only has my hobby allowed me to make friends with very nice people, who
share my interests, but some of the more advanced artists, who use their professional skill to help me along
the way. I would like to say 'thank you' to all of them." And thanky you, Dottie, for inviting me into your
home and life, it was an honor.
Lois Sperling.
