She served two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, living with the Cuna Indians in the San Blas Islands of Panama. Marriage to a U.S. naval officer brought continuing travels, includings tours in Japan, Cyprus, Maryland, Italy, Rhode Island, and Virginia, finally settling in Sonoma, California.

Her lifelong interest in art became a serious pursuit when she began watercolor classes with Skip Lawrence of Laurel, Maryland. Two years of classes with Skip, including both studio classes and workshops in Maine, provided the fundamentals and inspiration for her unabated involvement
with the challenges and rewards of watercolor. She has also taken workshop classes with Charles Reid, Christopher Schink, and Alex Powers.

Painting and exhibiting professionally since 1977, she has had one-woman shows in Maryland, Italy, Rhode Island, Virginia, and California. She has taught classes in intermediate and advanced watercolor, and, more recently, in nature journaling.

Irene’s current work is based on her intense concern and love for the natural world. Paintings often begin with the inspiration found while exploring hills and valleys, coast and mountains. Always carrying her nature journal and small watercolor kit, she records her discoveries and observations in notes, sketches, and paintings. Recent work focuses on Sierra mountain scenes and botanical studies of the native plants of Sonoma County. As a docent at Bouverie Nature Preserve, Irene guides schoolchildren on nature hikes, teaching them the pleasures of journaling on the trail. She helped to establish the docent training program for the recently developed Sonoma Overlook Trail, where her work can be seen on the trailhead signs.

Irene lives and maintains her studio in Sonoma. She is a longtime member of the Sonoma Arts Guild and exhibits her work at the Guild's gallery, 140 East Napa Street, Sonoma, CA.